Rs 4 crore Lok Sabha poll ‘bribe’ seizure: Senior BJP leader appears before CB-CID in Chennai
Veteran BJP leader Kesava Vinayakam had sought time till the election results were declared
The seized cash (inset) ID proof of the BJP cadre
CHENNAI: A day after the results of the Lok Sabha election was declared, the Tamil Nadu unit organising secretary of the BJP appeared before the CB-CID office in Chennai on Wednesday in connection with the seizure of Rs 4 crore that was allegedly meant to be used for a senior BJP leader’s election campaign.
Earlier, when the officials inquiring into the case summoned him, BJP veteran Kesava Vinayakam had sought time till the election results were declared. On Wednesday, he presented himself before the officials, who are questioning him. So far, more than 15 people, who are allegedly linked with the transfer of the huge volume of cash by train, have been grilled.
The cash seizure happened on April 7 when election flying squad officials nabbed three passengers travelling on Nellai Express carrying Rs 4 crore. Initial investigation allegedly revealed that the money belonged to senior BJP leader and NDA’s Tirunelveli candidate Nainar Nagendran.
The trio arrested with the cash included a BJP functionary and a staffer at Nagendran’s hotel in Chennai. They were identified as S Sathish (33) and his brother S Navin (31) of Chennai, and S Perumal (26) of Srivaikuntam in Thoothukudi.
Officials also conducted searches at his hotel in Kilpauk and several other premises linked to him in Chennai, Tirunelveli and other parts of Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, Nagendran, an MLA and the party’s leader of the House, denied any connection with the seized cash.