After the massive controversy that has broken when thousands of voter IDs were found in a flat in Bengaluru, there was a news report that hinted at the involvement of Congress MLA Munirathna Naidu in a cash for votes scandal.
It was reported that Munirathna Naidu has admitted that the cards and pamphlets found at the flat were his. This certainly came as a huge embarrassment for the Congress right ahead of assembly elections.
Republic TV, which has been covering the matter extensively, has now revealed that the Karnataka Election Commission has lodged an FIR on Munirathna Naidu and five of his associates. The FIR has been lodged under the allegations that Munirathna Naidu and associates tried to distribute freebies worth Rs 90 lakhs.
Republic has also accessed a copy of the FIR which lists out the freebies and their estimated value. According to the FIR, 5018 t-shirts with Munirathna’s photo on them and 23,393 half pants of different colours.
It is notable here that the Election Commission had found about 10,000 voter ID cards and other material at the apartment in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on Tuesday. Munirathna is the sitting Congress MLA from Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency.
BJP’s Sadananda Gowda and other leaders have cited Munirathna as a repeat offender.
https://twitter.com/DVSBJP/status/994264755748646913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Yesterday, Republic TV had also claimed in a report that the recovered Voter IDs were part of a systematic plot where voters of the area were being socially profiled and their needs met with cash or kind in exchange for votes. Karnataka goes to poll in less than 48 hours and an FIR on an alleged vote rigging case may seriously tarnish the image of the Congress party.