Two held with cash of over Rs 57,000 ahead of Gujarat bypoll

Two men were arrested with cash of over Rs 57,000 in Karjan taluka of Vadodara district, hours before the by-election for eight Assembly constituencies began in Gujarat on Tuesday morning, police said.

The police have claimed that the money was supplied by a Congress worker to influence voters ahead of polling.

Karjan is one of the eight constituencies in the state where voting commenced at 7 am.

"We have arrested two persons with unaccounted cash of Rs 57,700. We suspect that it was meant to influence the election process," inspector A A Desai of Karjan police said.

While Sohail Chauhan (27) and Vidhnesh Patel (27) were arrested, one Meet Patel, who had allegedly supplied the cash, is still at large, it was stated.

The accused have been booked under section 188 of the IPC for violating a notification by the Election Commission regarding possession of cash during voting.

According to the FIR, the accused's car was intercepted by the police near Ropa village at around midnight and cash was allegedly found in their possession.

When asked about the source of the money, the duo claimed that it was given to them by Patel, a Congress worker, the report stated.

The duo told the on-duty police that Patel had asked them to call him once they reached the village, as only he knew to whom the cash was to be handed over to, the FIR said.

Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) for Gujarat S Murali Krishna took cognisance of two viral videos, which purportedly suggest that BJP workers are distributing money to influence voters in Karjan.

In one of the videos, a man can be seen handing over currency notes to four persons sitting in an autorickshaw and asking them to vote for BJP by "pressing the button with the lotus symbol".

"I have seen both the videos. I have asked the Vadodara district election officer to conduct an inquiry into it. A detailed report is awaited," Murali Krishna told reporters in Gandhinagar.

While polling is taking place in a peaceful manner at all eight constituencies, the CEO said Morbi district election officer has been asked to probe a claim that BJP's pamphlets were distributed near a polling booth.

A detailed probe was also ordered into an allegation of bogus voting at Gedi village under Limbdi constituency of Surendranagar district, he said.

However, the primary investigation has suggested that the claims were false, he added.