Amid the raging cash-for-vote controversy in Maharashtra, the Palghar administration said on Tuesday that the police team recovered ₹9.93 lakh in cash and some documents in the hotel.
The Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) has alleged that BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde arrived at the hotel today to distribute ₹5 crore to influence voters.
District collector and election officer Govind Bodke said the election department had received complaints from BVA activists that some BJP workers were distributing cash at a hotel in Virar.
Acting on the complaints, the returning officer of Nalla Sopara and a police team, along with the joint police commissioner and two deputy police commissioners, searched the hotel and recovered ₹9.93 lakh cash and some incriminating documents, he added.
He said the authorities have registered cases for the alleged offences, including possession of cash, violation of the model code of conduct and holding illegal press conferences.
What are the allegations against Vinod Tawde?
BVA leader Hitendra Thakur accused Vinod Tawde of distributing ₹five crore to woo voters, a day before the Maharashtra assembly elections.
Thakur claimed his supporters found Tawde with the cash at a hotel in Virar, 60 km from Mumbai. He said he was informed about the cash by a BJP leader.
“I was informed by a BJP leader that he (Tawde) has come to distribute this huge cash. I could not believe that such a key national functionary of that party would do so, but sadly it turned out to be true,” he added.
Also read: ‘Let them get CCTV footage’: What BJP’s Vinod Tawde said on cash-for-vote allegation
He claimed the police also recovered a diary.
“In the hotel today, cash, diaries and laptops (related to the alleged cash distribution) were recovered. The diaries mentioned names and the amount given to them,” Thakur said.
The incident took place in the Nalasopara assembly constituency, where BVA MLA and Thakur’s son, Kshitij, is locked in an electoral contest with BJP’s Rajan Naik.
Vinod Tawde and the BJP have rejected the allegation.
“In Maharashtra, a baseless allegation has been made as a last attempt by the MVA…Vinod Tawde is our national secretary and is looking after several functions of the party… The candidate of the (Nalasopara) constituency asked him to attend the meeting. He was passing nearby, so he agreed… Such meetings are done to instruct the party workers regarding the polling process… We insist that the CCTV of the hotel and the nearby areas be checked… Rs. 5 crores cannot be brought in a pocket. It would be visible if someone were carrying it… They should show proof and not make baseless allegations,” said BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi.
With inputs from PTI, ANI