- Party
- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
- Born
- 27 May 1957, Nagpur, Maharashtra
- Education (declared)
- Doctorate category; honorary PhD, Galgotias University, and DLitt, SRM Institute (both 2023)
- In current post since
- 26 May 2014
- Seat
- Nagpur, Maharashtra (Lok Sabha)
Nitin Jairam Gadkari was born in Nagpur in 1957. He was Maharashtra's Public Works Minister from 1995 to 1999 and became national president of the BJP in December 2009.
The Purti Group
In 2012, reports linked him to the Purti Group of companies, including Purti Power and Sugar, which listed him as promoter. The reports said the Income Tax department had found investing firms with bogus addresses, and that IRB Infrastructure, which had won road contracts during his time as Public Works Minister, had lent the group Rs 1.64 billion. Opposition leaders alleged a quid pro quo. Gadkari said there was nothing wrong in contractors investing in his firms, and in January 2013 he stepped down as party president until the inquiry was complete. In May 2014 the Income Tax department in Maharashtra was reported to have cleared him. Arvind Kejriwal and the Congress's Manish Tewari both apologised after he sued them for defamation.
Road Transport Minister
He won Nagpur in 2014 and has been Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways since 26 May 2014. He held the seat in 2019 and 2024.
His 2024 affidavit lists 10 cases, including an election petition against his 2019 win, a defamation complaint he filed in 1997 and an Uttar Pradesh FIR that the Allahabad High Court quashed in 2019. It declares no convictions and assets of about Rs 28 crore.
Career at a glance
- 1995Maharashtra Public Works Minister, until 1999
- Dec 2009BJP national president
- Jan 2013Steps down as BJP president pending the Purti inquiry
- May 2014Wins Nagpur; Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways
- 2019Re-elected; also MSME minister until July 2021
- 2024Wins Nagpur a third time, by 1,37,603 votes
Cases and allegations
An allegation, FIR or chargesheet is not proof of guilt. Only a court can convict, and convictions can be overturned on appeal. Status is as last checked on 2 Nov 2026.
Reports linked him to the Purti Group, which listed him as promoter, after the Income Tax department found investor firms with bogus addresses and IRB Infrastructure, a road contractor from his PWD years, was reported to have lent the group Rs 1.64 billion. He said there was nothing wrong in contractors investing and stepped down as party president pending the inquiry. Arvind Kejriwal and Congress's Manish Tewari later apologised to him after he filed defamation cases. Source
A petition in the Bombay High Court, Nagpur bench, under the Representation of the People Act, with a related matter in the Supreme Court. Source
An FIR under IPC 186, 188 and 171H in Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh. Source
The record card
Facts only, each from a public record. This is not a rating. Affidavit figures are the leader's own sworn declarations at the time of filing.
| Declared criminal cases | 10Lok Sabha 2024 affidavit, Nagpur; includes an election petition and complaints he filed or faces | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Convictions | None declared2024 affidavit | Source |
| Declared assets | Rs 28.03 crore2024; liabilities of Rs 6.22 crore | Source |
| Nagpur result, 2024 | Won by 1,37,603 votesThird consecutive win | Source |
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Sources
Photo: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, GODL-India, via Wikimedia Commons.
This profile is built only from public records and attributed reports; read how we make these profiles. If anything here is wrong or out of date, or if you are Nitin Gadkari's office and want to respond, write to devv@bharatverseh.com. Every correction is listed in our corrections log.