A founder member of the Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday lodged complaints with the central investigating agencies seeking a probe against 11 poll survey companies for alleged cheating, fraud and illegal financial transactions.
In a letter to the Central Bureau of Investigation, AAP founder member Madhuresh Lakhaiyar said a sting operation against the survey agencies recently aired by a television news channel showed “how some people and organisations in collaboration with some media houses and politicians are trying to influence the forthcoming election result by using illegal means.”
Mr. Lakhaiyar, who attached to his complaint the transcript of the telecasted version of the sting operation, alleged that the transcript proved that the accused companies were involved in manipulating public views in the forthcoming election to ensure benefit to a particular political party. “After telecast of this sting operation, some prominent channels and newspapers have cancelled their agreement with these 11 companies,” he said, seeking registration of a First Information Report and appropriate legal action against all those belonging to the companies in question.
In two other separate letters to the Central Board of Direct Taxes and the Enforcement Directorate, Mr. Lakhaiyar accused the companies of tax evasion and violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act provisions.
