Hyderabad (Telangana): Ahead of the bypoll to the Dubbak Assembly constituency, police on Monday seized Rs 18.67 lakh in cash from the house of BJP candidate M Raghunandan Rao's relative in Siddipet town.
Siddipet Police Commissioner Joel Davis said the cash was seized from the residence of S. Anjan Rao, a relative of BJP candidate M. Raghunandan Rao, and it was meant to be distributed among voters in Dubbak Assembly constituency, where by-election is scheduled on November 3.
The incident triggered tension in the town The Police Commissioner said the searches were conducted at the residences of BJP candidate Raghunandan Rao's father-in-law S. Ramgopal Rao, another relative Anjan Rao and Siddipet Municipal Chairman, Rajanarsu of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).
Out of the seized cash, Rs 5.87 lakh was reportedly snatched away by some unidentified people in front of the house, the police said.
Before the seizure, searches were carried out at three places in the town following information that money meant for distribution to influence voters was kept in the house, said a senior police official.
When the police and government officials came out of the house, over 250-strong crowd gathered in front of it and started arguing with the police. It was at that moment, some among the crowd allegedly snatched the money, the police official said.
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Later, it was found that Rs 5.87 lakh had been taken away, the official said.
The police said they have videographed the entire incident wherein some people were seen trying to push the lawmen.
A case in this connection is in the process of being registered and the efforts have begun to identify the persons who snatched the money, the police said.
The incident triggered tension in the town as the BJP staged a protest against the police.
However, the BJP alleged that the police tried to plant money in the house of Raghunandan Rao's relative at the behest of the ruling TRS.
By-election to the Dubbak Assembly seat is scheduled for November 3.
As BJP state President Bandi Sanjay reached Siddipet, the police stopped him on the outskirts and forcibly sent him to Karimnagar. Police said his entry into the town could have led to trouble.
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Condemning the checks at the house, state BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar said they were against the model code of conduct when the by-election is taking place at Dubbak.
Staging a protest, Kumar demanded the immediate suspension of Siddipet Police Commissioner Joel Davis.
On learning about the incident and arrest of party leaders, Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy rushed to Siddipet from Hyderabad.
He met Raghunandan and other party leaders, who alleged that the TRS government hatched a conspiracy to frame them.
Meanwhile, BJP MLC N Ramachander Rao, in a statement, termed the police raids as political vendetta. The ruling TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samiti) party is using police out of fear of defeat, he claimed. Also, he alleged that the police did not issue any notice before conducting the raids.
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Reacting to this, state Finance Minister T Harish Rao, who is leading the TRS campaign in Dubbak, dismissed the allegations, by saying the BJP was trying to gain sympathy by claiming itself to be a victim. There is no need for the TRS to trouble the BJP as the latter is fast losing public support, he said.
BJP leaders under house arrest
Meanwhile, police in Hyderabad on Tuesday placed BJP leaders under house arrest to foil their reported plans to stage a protest at the chief minister's official residence over Tuesday's incidents in Siddipet.
Amid reports that the BJP leaders plan to lay siege to 'Pragati Bhavan', police placed BJP Vice President D.K. Aruna, member of Telangana Legislative Council Ramachandra Rao, party's lone MLA Raja Singh, Motkupalli Narasimhulu and others under house arrest.
Police personnel were deployed at the residence of Aruna to prevent her from leaving the residence. She told the police officials that she has to leave for Dubbak to campaign for the November 3 by-election to the Assembly seat.
(With inputs from agencies)
