Rs 5 crore recovered from minister's relatives: EC

Chennai: Naming C. Vijayabaskar in its order cancelling the R K Nagar byelection, the Election Commission said Rs 5 crore in cash, incriminating documents that gave details about distribution of money and strategy to lure voters through inducements were recovered from the health minister’s native Pudukottai and his close confidantes.

Quoting a report from the income tax department submitted to it on April 8, the Election Commission said raids were conducted at 21 places in Chennai and 11 outside Chennai belonging to Vijayabaskar and his associates.

“The income tax authorities have also informed that several complaints were received recently indicating that C. Vijayabaskar is the main person involved in bribing the voters in R.K. Nagar Assembly constituency. Some loose sheets were found with his accountant Srinivasan indicating distribution of '89 crore to a number of politicians for further distribution among the voters,” the EC said in its order.

The EC said cash of Rs 5 crore was seized from the confidantes of Vijayabaskar and from his native place and incriminating documents in the form of overall money distribution chart to several leading political executives and functionaries totaling to Rs 89 crore were found from the premises.

Further distribution charts, ward-wise and voter-wise, entrusted to each of these politician totaling to Rs 89 crore were found and seized from the room allotted to Vijayabaskar. “Further, a lot of incriminating material including voters list marking against each voter either DMK or AIADMK and amount to be paid and paid in some cases, were also found and seized,” the EC said.

The report says the premises of former South Chennai MP Chitalapakkam Rajendran were also searched on receiving the input from a central agency that a huge amount of cash was brought there by particular vehicle, for distribution
in R.K. Nagar constituency.