Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut gets EC notice over 'Saamana' article

MUMBAI: The Mumbai district election officer has issued 'Saamana' editor and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut a notice for violation of model code of conduct.

Raut, in his column in the Sena mouthpiece, had said that Communist Party of India (CPI) candidate Kanhaiya Kumar should be defeated in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections even if it means that the BJP has to tamper with the EVM's.

Kumar is contesting Begusarai in Bihar.

In his column 'Rok Thok', Raut had also written that Kumar is a bottle of poison that must not reach Parliament.

In his letter, Shivaji Jondhale, district collector of Mumbai city, said that Raut's statement showed a “lack of faith in the deployment of EVMs and muddying the electoral process."

Raut has been asked to respond to the notice by April 3.

Meanwhile, the election officials have seized items including cash worth Rs 75.79 crore of which Rs 19.82 crore is cash and Rs 38.36 crore worth of gold. The flying squads have also seized liquor worth Rs 13.64 crore being ferried without licence and also Rs 3.96 crore worth of narcotic substances.