In what could cause potential trouble to BJP’s Tirunelveli Lok Sabha constituency candidate Nainar Nagenthran, election officials on Saturday night seized ₹3.98 crore cash from three passengers linked to him travelling on board Nellai Express at Tambaram railway station. This is the single largest seizure of unaccounted cash in Tamil Nadu after the the Model Code of Conduct came into force.
According to police sources, the first accused in the case, who could not account for the money, gave a statement to Election Commission’s flying squad team claiming the money was meant for distribution to voters in the Tirunelveli Lok Sabha constituency where Mr. Nagendran is contesting.
Acting on a specific information that a huge amount cash was being carried in Chennai Egmore-Tirunelveli Nellai Superfast Express, Senthil Balamani, Assistant Agriculture Officer, who was heading the Flying Squad Team (FST), rushed to Tambaram railway station around 8.30 p.m. on Saturday.
When they checked the baggage of three suspected passengers in a AC two-tier coach, numerous wads of ₹500 denomination currency noted were found stacked. The accused passengers - S. Satish, 33, S. Naveen of Agaram in Chennai and S. Perumal of Srivaikundam in Thoothukudi district - were detrained and taken to the Tambaram police station where election officials interrogated them on the source of the money and its destination.
Satish told investigators that he was working in a hotel owned by Mr. Nagenthran on the EVR Salai in Purasawalkam, Chennai. He gave a statement that the money in his possession was given by Jaishankar and was meant for distribution to voters in Tirunelveli.
The money with another accused Perumal was given by Asaithambi of Triplicane and also meant for distribution to voters. He showed an identity card in support of his claim that he was a member of the BJP and was also in possession of a copy of Mr. Nagenthran’s proof of identity. Efforts were on to arrest two persons who sent the money to the accused and establish the source of funds and their link with the candidate, the sources said.
After alerting the Assistant Returning Officer, Tambaram, about the cash seizure, the FST officials handed over the money ( ₹3,98,91,500) to the Tambaram Tahsildhar.
The Tambaram police arrested the accused under Section 171(C) (Undue influence at elections), 171 (E) (Punishment for bribery), 171(F) (Punishment for undue influence in election and personation at an election) and 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of IPC.
The accused were produced before a Judicial Magistrate and subsequently let out on bail
The statement of the trio was recorded. The District Election Officer has sent a report to the Chief Electoral Officer and also briefed the Election Observer (Expenditure). During the first meeting with top police officers in Tamil Nadu, the ECI had warned that if any money meant for bribing voters was seized and a criminal conspiracy made out, the candidate would be disqualified. Tamil Nadu has a history of elections being countermanded after seizure of money meant for distribution to voters.
