NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has decided to write to department of personnel and training (DoPT) suggesting a CBI probe into the alleged bribing of police personnel by DMK candidate from Tiruchi West constituency in Tamil Nadu K N Nehru.
Sources told TOI that the poll panel will be sending the reference seeking CBI probe to DoPT, the administrative ministry for the Central investigation agency, by Wednesday. “Since the alleged bribery relates to elections and has happened during the period when model code of conduct is in force, EC is competent to seek a CBI probe. Earlier, after raids carried out in Madhya Pradesh during 2019 Lok Sabha polls led to huge recoveries of unaccounted cash, EC had sought a CBI probe on similar lines,” said a senior functionary.
Meanwhile, EC, based on preliminary reports and inputs that found “serious dereliction of duty by some police officials” in connection with the Tiruchi West case, on Tuesday ordered the transfer of IGP, Commissioner of Police, Tiruchirappalli J Loganathan to a non-election related post as well as the suspension of ACP, Golden Rock Range, Law and Order, Thiru Tamilmaran.
On Saturday evening, acting on information that bribe was being given to law enforcers ahead of the polls, special teams headed by senior officers in the rank of an Assistant Commissioner of Police conducted checks at the Government Hospital police station and at the Thillai Nagar police station and found several covers containing cash amounting to thousands of rupees. Both the police stations fall in Tiruchi West constituency from where Nehru is seeking a re-election.
A case against the police personnel was registered by the City Crime Branch on a complaint lodged by a senior police officer in the rank of an Assistant Commissioner of Police under IPC section 171 (e) (bribery) and under section 129 (3) of The Representation of People Act. Six police personnel were suspended in connection with the incident including an Inspector of Police of Thillai Nagar station; a Sub Inspector of Government Hospital police station, a Special Sub Inspector of Government Hospital police station and a Woman Head Constable attached to Thillai Nagar police station besides two other personnel serving in the City Intelligence Section tasked with looking after Government Hospital police station and Thillai Nagar police station.