Rahul Ranajan Mahiwal, Amravati Collector, has issued notice to Congress MLA and President Pratibha Patil's son Raosaheb Shekhawat and Minister of State Rajendra Mulak in connection with the recent recovery of Rs. 1 crore cash that they were conveying in a vehicle.
“The notice was sent on Tuesday based on the police report. The State Election Commission had asked the Collectorate to conduct an inquiry,” Mr. Mahiwal told The Hindu on the phone.
The cash was seized from a vehicle by the police during street patrol in the early hours of Sunday. The police arrested two persons, driving the vehicle, but they were later discharged. Claiming ownership of the money, the Congress said it was party fund.
Mr. Mahiwal said the lawyers engaged by Mr. Shekhawat and Mr. Mulak had made their representation before him. The Congress leaders have to reply to the notice by February 21.
State Election Commissioner Neela Satyanarayan said the poll panel had received a report from the Collectorate. It will decide on further action after the district court decides the Congress' request for the amount to be returned.
Amravati Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said while the Commission was probing the election expenditure issue, the police were conducting an investigation into the criminal aspect. “We are probing the source of the money, how it was collected, what it was meant for and where it was going. We are working in coordination with the Income Tax Department,” he told The Hindu .
