Take it as a statement exposing political leaders or a challenge to the Election Commission, but J Mohan Raj, an independent candidate contesting in Perambur assembly byelection believes in flaunting his assets, if only on paper.His affidavit, riddled with inflated numbers, reads that he has cash of Rs 1.76 lakh crore — the infamous amount of 2G scam, which led to the Congress losing power in the 2014.Raj represents the unregistered party Jabamani Janata Party and received the green chilli symbol, but NGOs are questioning how the election department accepted his nomination despite the false information. “I know what I have said in the affidavit. The number is what the CAG quoted as losses to the exchequer during the 2G scam. When all other party leaders can show lower assets and cheat the people why should I not say I have so much cash on hand,” argued Raj, who has mentioned that he has taken a loan of Rs4 lakh crore from the World Bank, his wife’s moveable assets include jewellery worth Rs2.7 lakh and his liabilities are in the form of jewellery loans in banks in Chennai and Tiruvallur. “This election I wanted to have green chilli as my symbol as it will be hot. I know what I am doing but I want my voters to know that how party leaders are cheating them,” he said.In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections too, Raj had claimed to possess extraordinary riches by declaring Rs1,977 crore in deposits. “If what the top political leaders have declared as assets is correct, then mine is also correct,” Raj said. “I will also say all my assets are in a Swiss bank and if you bring back black money, my name will also be on that list,” he said. Every election, he has showed an incredible amount as assets but his nomination has been accepted.Efforts to contact chief electoral officer Satyabrata Sahoo to know how such a nomination could be accepted failed. “If someone files a complaint against this candidate for furnishing wrong information, Raj can been taken to task. The income tax department too can interfere and probe the affidavit,” said a former Tamil Nadu chief electoral officer.