Maharashtra: Elections today, BJP gen secy Tawde booked after cash found in hotel room

Three FIRs against Tawde, BJP campaigner from Nalasopara Rajan Naik and implicit 200 others were registered astatine Tulinj constabulary presumption successful Palghar for allegedly giving currency and liquor to voters, usurpation of the exemplary codification of behaviour and conducting a property league by breaching law.

“We received a ailment from BVA workers and its campaigner that BJP person Vinod Tawde and immoderate different officer-bearers were distributing money. Following the complaint, predetermination officials reached the spot on with constabulary and took action,” said Palghar District Collector Govind Bodke, who is besides the Returning Officer for Vasai-Virar and Nalasopara seats.

“After our unit conducted a hunt astatine the hotel, they recovered Rs 9.93 lakh currency on with immoderate documents,” Bodke said.

The video of the ruckus betwixt the BJP and the BVA workers person surfaced connected the internet. (X/ @SandipDaveOne4)

Videos of the alleged “cash distribution”, galore of them changeable by BVA workers who barged into the edifice hallway wherever Tawde was present, went viral, aft which constabulary registered the FIRs. The BVA workers besides gheraoed Tawde, and confronted him.

DCP (zone-2) Pournima Chougule-Shringi said constabulary reached the edifice aft receiving accusation regarding a gathering of BJP leaders. Based connected the allegations, constabulary carried retired a preliminary enquiry and FIRs were filed implicit the betterment of amerciable cash, the DCP said.

Police whitethorn besides registry a abstracted lawsuit against BVA leaders and activists implicit allegations of assault, sources said.

The 3 FIRs against Tawde and others were filed connected the complaints of members of a flying squad squad and a constabulary caput constable.

According to the archetypal FIR, erstwhile 2 flying squad units reached the 5th level of edifice Vivanta successful Virar (East) astir noon, they recovered Tawde, Naik and dozens of different BJP workers successful the hall. The flying squad units past searched the rooms connected the 4th level of the hotel. According to the FIR, they seized currency worthy Rs 9 lakh, Rs 72,500 and Rs 14,000 from country 405, 410 and 416, respectively. It stated that 500 envelopes, 4 bottles of liquor, and Naik’s run worldly were besides seized.

“Despite the extremity of the run period, the accused persons gathered astatine the edifice for a gathering and gave currency and liquor to voters, frankincense breaching the exemplary codification of conduct,” said complainant Raju Masale, a subordinate of the flying squad, successful the FIR.

The 2nd FIR was filed suo motu by constabulary nether BNS Section 163 for violating the Police Commissioner’s bid and Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act by visiting different constituencies successful the 48-hour soundlessness play earlier the election.

The 3rd FIR was filed against Tawde and others for unlawfully conducting a property league that Election Commission officials had to halt midway successful the evening.

Leaders of the BVA, a determination outfit, alleged that the currency was meant for organisation among voters successful Nalasopara, from wherever Thakur’s lad Kshitij is the enactment candidate.

As portion of the investigation, constabulary are trying to place autarkic witnesses and besides checking if the hotel’s CCTV captured the alleged wealth distribution.

After a ruckus of much than 3 hours, arsenic a associated property league was being held by Thakur, Kshitij, Tawde and Naik, EC officials stopped it, citing the soundlessness play up of voting.

BVA elder leaders helped Tawde permission the edifice premises safely amid assertive protests by the BVA workers.

Tawde said helium was astatine the edifice for a gathering of BJP workers.

In a statement, Tawde said helium was returning to Mumbai from Wada successful Palghar erstwhile helium called Naik to enquire. “I told him each enactment workers are successful a hotel, you tin articulation america for tea. When I reached the hotel, evidently we discussed polls. What each precautionary measures on with technicalities should beryllium taken during the time of polling were discussed,” helium said.

“Suddenly a radical of workers belonging to the BVA barged wrong and encircled maine and started shouting. I called BVA person Hitendra Thakur and urged him to archer his enactment workers to behave,” Tawde said. “I impulse the Election Commission to probe the substance and bring retired the truth.”

The BJP rallied powerfully down Tawde, and accused the Opposition of conspiring to malign the representation of the enactment by making unsubstantiated allegations.

In Nagpur, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters, “Tawde is not guilty. He didn’t transportation immoderate wealth oregon prosecute successful immoderate unlawful activity. No objectionable items were recovered with him. Tawde’s sojourn was solely to conscionable with our enactment workers.”

“It is similar a screen firing. As the MVA is staring astatine a decision successful tomorrow’s polling, they are trying to displacement the attraction (of people),” Fadnavis alleged.

BJP authorities president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “Our nationalist wide caput Vinod Tawde was successful Vasai-Virar for enactment with enactment workers. The charges of wealth organisation are frivolous and baseless. It is simply a conspiracy to framework a elder person similar Tawde and defame the party.”

“The Opposition has intelligibly sensed the crushed beneath its feet slipping. And they are present resorting to unethical means to people the BJP.”

BVA’s Thakur questioned wherefore Tawde was successful Virar aft the campaigning ended Monday evening. He demanded enactment from the Election Commission and police, claiming helium had received accusation that Tawde was coming to the Virar edifice with Rs 5 crore. “I was told by BJP leaders that Tawde was coming to Virar to administer money. Initially, we did not judge it arsenic helium is simply a nationalist leader, but erstwhile we recovered him with money, we sought answers,” helium told reporters.

“The edifice medication had switched disconnected the CCTV cameras. Action should beryllium taken against the edifice arsenic well,” helium alleged.

Opposition MVA leaders besides targeted Tawde and the BJP. Sena UBT main Uddhav Thackeray termed the incidental arsenic “note jihad”, and demanded enactment from the canvass panel.

“I person travel present to person a darshan of Goddess Tulja Bhavani. When I arrived, my bags were checked, but thing was found. I learned from the media that currency was recovered successful the bags of Vinod Tawde. Yesterday, determination was an onslaught connected NCP person Anil Deshmukh… Whose occupation is to cheque each these? It is the occupation of the EC officials and they should instrumentality action,” helium said.

“I anticipation they volition bash their occupation and if they are not doing it we volition find a mode to get the occupation done from the higher authority(he meant court).”

Congress in-charge of Maharashtra Ramesh Chennithala said, “The BJP has been misusing the wealth and powerfulness arsenic it fears of losing the election. Tawde was caught red-handed portion distributing wealth and helium should beryllium arrested immediately.”