Evidence of widespread cash and gift distribution to voters has begun to surface in a big way in the RK Nagar constituency. In this backdrop, the Election Commission of India’s Director (Expenditure) Vikram Batra was scheduled to visit Chennai on Thursday to coordinate with other enforcement agencies to ensure a fair by election.
Agents of some political parties, distributing cash – mostly in the new ₹2,000 currency, were allegedly making certain marks on the walls of houses using codes to indicate that cash has been given to its occupants (see photo).
R.K. Nagar Returning Officer Praveen Nair said since Tuesday ₹14.4 lakh has been seized in the constituency.
“Till Wednesday afternoon the election cell had received 558 complaints, which were acted upon by the 57 Flying Squads and Static Surveillance teams. A total of 107 FIRs were filed after enquiry for various election related offences, and 43 arrests have been made,” he told The Hindu.
Teams fan out
Over 100 flying squads and five Central observers along with micro observers were on the field to ensure the conduct of free and fair poll in the constituency.
Ten companies of Central Paramilitary force have also been deployed in addition to the city police.
On Wednesday following a tip-of about money distribution, a flying squad rushed to Kasipuram near Kasimedu and apprehended five persons from Seerkazhi besides recovering ₹ 1.28 lakh from them.
Another team nabbed a person who was staying in VOC Nagar to distribute money and recovered ₹ 37,000.Similarly, another team with police party rushed to Third Street of Ajiz Nagar in midnight where the money was distributed. After conducting a raid on the premises of one Srinivasan, the team seized ₹ 9 lakh from his house.
Similarly, following reports that one Prabhu from Madurai was distributing money in Nethaji Nagar, a handful of DMK workers and supporters of AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi) came to the spot and found the person was dining with others at a hotel.
Both sides quarrelled over this, trading charges against each other.
A few other workers came in support of Prabhu and both sides clashed. R.K.Nagar police arrested three persons in connection with the incident.
The flying squad also conducted raid at a utensils shop and stumbled upon gift articles meant to be distributed to the voters.
