In a dramatic turn of events just a day before the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the police recovered ₹9.93 lakh in cash and incriminating documents from a hotel in Virar, escalating the ongoing cash-for-vote controversy. The Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) has accused BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde of attempting to bribe voters with ₹5 crore, allegations strongly denied by the BJP.
Cash Seized in Hotel Raid
District Collector and Election Officer Govind Bodke confirmed the recovery during a search conducted by a police team led by the returning officer of Nalasopara, joint police commissioner, and two deputy commissioners. Acting on complaints from BVA activists, authorities raided the hotel, recovering the cash and other items.
“The raid resulted in the seizure of ₹9.93 lakh in cash along with some incriminating documents, including diaries and laptops. Cases have been registered for violations of the model code of conduct and related offences,” said Bodke.
BVA’s Allegations Against Tawde
BVA leader Hitendra Thakur accused Vinod Tawde of arriving in Virar to distribute ₹5 crore in cash to influence voters in the Nalasopara constituency. He claimed that his supporters alerted him after discovering Tawde’s presence with the alleged cash.
“I was informed by a BJP leader about this operation. Initially, I was skeptical, but the evidence recovered proved the allegations true. Diaries found at the scene listed names and amounts distributed,” Thakur stated.
Thakur also claimed the incident involved influencing voters in Nalasopara, where his son and BVA MLA Kshitij Thakur is contesting against BJP’s Rajan Naik.
BJP Denies Allegations
The BJP has strongly rejected the claims, calling them baseless and politically motivated. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi defended Tawde, stating that his visit to the hotel was to meet party workers for routine election-related instructions.
“Vinod Tawde is a key national leader. He attended the meeting at the candidate’s request. The allegations of carrying ₹5 crore are absurd; such an amount would be impossible to conceal. We urge authorities to review CCTV footage of the hotel and surrounding areas to prove the claims false,” said Trivedi.
Investigation Underway
Authorities are examining the recovered cash and documents, including the alleged diaries listing voter payouts. Further investigations are expected to determine the veracity of the accusations and whether there were violations of electoral laws.
The incident has added a contentious layer to the heated electoral battle in Maharashtra, raising questions about the role of money power in influencing elections.
Sources By Agencies
