RK Nagar 'Cash for Vote' row: FIR has been registered admits TN CM

A day after the media reported that Election Commission of India (ECI) asked to register a FIR against persons who were involved in bribing the voters at R K Nagar by-poll, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisami on Monday admitted that case has been filed by the poll panel with regard to the issue.

"A case has been registered after obtaining permission from the Metropolitan Magistrate court. The investigation is going on", Palaniswami told the House soon after the Opposition DMK members raised the issue and wanted to discuss in the Assembly.

However, chief minister did not disclose the name of the persons who were mentioned in the FIR.

The ECI has ordered to register a FIR against the person, who were allegedly involved in the cash for votes allegation during the high-profile R K Nagar by-elections.

ECI's initiative was revealed in a reply to a RTI application filed by an advocate Vairakannan, who asked the Commission that what action has been proposed to take against Palaniswami, Electricity Minister P Thangamani, Education Minister K A Sengottiyan, Health Minister Vijaya Bhaskar, Co-operative Minister Sellur Raju and AIADMK Amma candidate for R K Nagar by-poll TTV Dhinakaran for allegedly misconduct of distributing money to the voters in R K Nagar.

The ECI, in its reply dated May 25, 2017, which was circulated in the media and as well as showed in various TV channels, said: "the Commission has directed that a FIR may be filed by the returning officer".