EC cancels Lok Sabha polls in Vellore over excess use of money power

The official said the cash was shifted due to the botched up operation by the state police and revenue authorities and was found on Monday morning in the cement warehouse by the IT investigation wing.

This handout photo taken on April 3, 2019 and released by the Election Control Centre shows Indian election monitoring officials displaying some 20 million rupees (290,000 USD) seized by an election commission "flying squad" from a vehicle being used by members of the Tamil Nationalist political party Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi in Perambalur in Tamil Nadu state. PIC/AFP.

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha polls in Vellore constituency in Tamil Nadu has been cancelled by the Election Commission over excess use of money power. As per reports, the decision was taken by the poll body on Tuesday after President Ram Nath Kovind had accepted its recommendation to cancel the polls. Since the president signs the notification for Lok Sabha elections, it is he who rescinds it. The decision came after a large sum of cash was allegedly seized from the DMK candidate's office a few days ago. Certain regional media reports claim by-polls to Ambur and Gudiyattam assembly seats will take place as per schedule on Thursday. In a search operation earlier this month, the Income Tax Department had seized Rs 11.5 crore cash from a cement warehouse belonging to a DMK official. According to a senior IT department official, the cash was shifted from Kingston College belonging to Duraimurugan Educational Trust, Vellore to the cement warehouse of the DMK leader, considered close to party treasurer Duraimurugan, late on March 29. The official said the cash was shifted due to the botched up operation by the state police and revenue authorities and was found on Monday morning in the cement warehouse by the IT investigation wing. All the cash was stuffed in cartons and gunny bags neatly packed for distribution to division and ward wise, the official said. The district police had filed a complaint against DMK candidate Kathir Anand as well as two party functionaries on the basis of a report from the Income Tax department on April 10. Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo today said Rs 135.42 crore of unaccounted cash has been seized in the state so far. Liquor bottles worth Rs 37.42 lakh while drugs & narcotics substances worth Rs 37.68 lakh; 1022 kg gold, 645 kg silver; precious metals worth Rs 294.38 cr have been seized seized in the state since imposition of Model Code of Conduct. Election to 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu is scheduled on April 18. Over 91pc seized cash in Rs 200 denomination; all sourced from one branch: IT dept report Over 91 per cent of Rs 11.53 crore seized by Income Tax Department in Tamil Nadu's Vellore Lok Sabha constituency was in the denomination of Rs 200 and sourced from one bank branch in the district to allegedly bribe voters, a report prepared by the department's sleuths revealed. A senior I-T official told news agency PTI that the "RBI found that the cash was sourced from a local Canara Bank branch cash chest." The two cashiers who issued the banknotes were grilled by I-T department sleuths for long hours. It then came to light that their senior manager, based in the regional office, had ensured that this huge amount in lower denomination is supplied to the branch and further released to an alleged DMK-linked functionary who was not even an "income tax assessee." "The senior manager exploited the banking system and got the local branch such a big quantity of Rs 200 notes that was further released to the DMK-linked functionary," the I-T department official said. The IT department has summoned the senior manager and the DMK candidate, Anand, for questioning. "An I-T probe found that this cash was to be distributed in installments to lure voters in Vellore constituency," the official said. (With inputs from Agencies)