The Election Commission on Wednesday seized Rs 1.48 crore in cash from a party worker of TTV Dinakaran’s AMMK in Tamil Nadu’s Andipatti in Theni district, just a day before the assembly segment goes to bypolls.
The raid, which began on Tuesday night, continued till 5.30am on Wednesday and the flying squad recovered the unaccounted cash, which was packed in 94 envelops with the ward number, number of voters and the amount of Rs 300 per voter written on them. A postal ballot paper for Andipatti assembly by-election which was marked for an AMMK candidate was also found and was seized. The functionary present at the site said Rs 2 crore in cash was brought to the premises for distribution to voters on April 16.
The team of officials was held captive by party workers on Tuesday and the police fired four rounds in the air to rescue the officials.
In the run-up to the polls, several raids have been conducted over the last few weeks, mostly targeting members of the Opposition and their aides. I-T Department officials last week had conducted searches at 18 locations in Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Namakkal and Tirunelveli.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday also slammed the central government over continuing I-T raids, alleging the searches were only targeted against those who opposed the BJP.
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