Rs 2,000 grocery token: AMMK functionary booked in Kumbakonam

After getting the ‘Rs 2,000 token’ for the grocery, voters after exercising their franchise approached the Priyam Grocery Agency for their purchases. Shocked by the sudden surge in crowd of customers with the tokens, owner of the shop K Sheik Mohammed clarified them that he was in no way associated with the candidate or his party that distributed the token and lodged a complaint with the police. District Collector M Govinda Rao, who came to know about this, ordered the Revenue Department and the police to conduct a thorough probe in which the officials came to know that the token was distributed by supporters of Kumbakonam AMMK candidate Bala Murugan. 

When the officials interrogated the voters from the Koranattu Karuppur area who possessed the tokens, they reportedly told the officials that it was distributed by the AMMK branch secretary Kanakaraj (62). 

Subsequently, the VAO Surendar Kumar lodged a complaint with the Kumbakonam East police against Kanakaraj. Based on the complaint, the police registered a case against him and are investigating. 

The police said that they would soon be arresting Kanakaraj in the case. The police also said that the token had been distributed at several areas and many AMMK cadre were involved in the fraud. Only after the arrest of Kanakaraj, other persons involved in the racket could be identified and arrested. 

Meanwhile, supporters of other political parties have raised voice against the AMMK candidate Bala Murugan and sought action against him.