The Congress on Friday urged the Election Commission (EC) to declare the result of the Antagarh Assembly bypoll in Chhattisgarh null and void and order a CBI probe into allegations that its candidate was induced with money to withdraw from the fray.
A delegation of Chhattisgarh Congress on Friday met the EC officials against the backdrop of a media report about an audio tape containing purported conversations between senior Congress leader Ajit Jogi, his son Amit, his ‘associates’ and Puneet Gupta, son-in-law of Chief Minister Raman Singh, to allegedly fix the 2014 by-election to Antagarh (ST) seat.
“The incident comes under the ambit of corrupt practice as defined by the electoral laws. The money that changed hand also comes under various Sections of IPC and Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
“Therefore, you are requested to order a CBI probe into the allegations and declare the results of the bypoll null and void,” the Congress memorandum submitted to the EC said.
The Chhattisgarh government had on Thursday night submitted its report to the EC on the surfacing of an audio tape, which suggested financial inducement behind the Congress candidate withdrawing from fray in the Assembly bypoll.
