The Belagavi Police have registered a case against BJP MLA P. Rajeev and another person on the charge of distributing money among people who attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally on Saturday in Koligudda village.
The case was registered on Sunday.
The MLA and his supporter, Halappa Shegunasi, carried cash and distributed it to some members of the crowd who attended the rally on Saturday.
The alleged offence occurred at Mugalkhod town, near the rally venue at Koligudda village. The village is under the Kudchi (SC) Assembly constituency represented by Mr. Rajeev.
The MLA and his supporters were tasked with gathering a larger crowd for the rally, election duty officials said. This has been mentioned in the first information report (FIR) registered with the police station.
The FIR has been registered under section 171 E of the IPC and Sections 123-1 and 123-2 of the Representation of People Act.
Election duty officer Abhishek Pande filed a complaint at the Haroorgeri Police Station against Mr. Rajeev and Halappa Shegunashi. This was based on information received through video clips and messages on social media, authorities said.
Some local TV channels also carried the clips of the alleged distribution of money.
Mr. Rajeev hails from a Lambani Tanda in Davangere district. He was a police officer in Kudchi in Belagavi district a few years ago. He resigned to fight the polls as an Independent. He later joined the BJP.