Munugode bypoll: BJP candidate rejects TRS' charge of money transfer to induce voters

NEW DELHI: With the BJP candidate for Munugode assembly bypoll in Telangana denying TRS allegation that his “family-owned” firm had made transfers worth Rs 5.24 crore to 23 entities for “voter inducement” and TRS too offering no proof to corroborate its charge, the Election Commission on Tuesday desisted from any further proceeding and simply directed the state chief electoral officer to closely monitor election expenditure in the constituency through the law enforcement agencies.
The campaigning for Munugode assembly byelection, for which polling will be held on November 3, ended on Tuesday.
The TRS had earlier approached the EC seeking action against BJP candidate K Rajagopal Reddy for allegedly using his family-owned company M/s Sushee Infra and Mining Company Ltd to deposit a total Rs 5.24 crore on October 14, 18 and 29 through the State Bank of India account with 23 different companies/residents located in Munugode, for the purpose of using this fund for voter inducement by making cash withdrawals from the transferee accounts.
The EC had, acting on TRS complaint, asked Reddy to explain the transfers. The poll body on Tuesday said Reddy had, in his response submitted on Monday, denied any formal relationship with M/s Sushee Infra and Mining Co Ltd and also all the 23 alleged bank transactions.
Stating that the TRS representation too had not provided any proof to corroborate its allegations, the EC on Tuesday directed the Telangana CEO to to keep a close watch in the constituency through various law enforcement agencies, based on additional actionable facts that may emerge, according to extant instructions of Commission on election expenditure monitoring.