TIRUCHY: Siruganur Police on Thursday registered bribery case against an unidentified person
following allegations that auctions were conducted for three panchayat posts in Valaiyur village.
TNIE on December 14 reported that posts of panchayat union ward councillor, panchayat president and panchayat vice-president were decided allegedly after aspirants agreed to pay a total of Rs 26.92 lakhs.
However, this stoked dissent among the villagers following which Sasi Kumar, a resident, a complaint lodged a complaint with the Block Development Officer. The BDO forwarded the complaint to
police on Thursday.
“Along with police, we conducted a preliminary inquiry with 25 people. Nineteen persons denied auctions were conducted and six persons claimed they were not aware of the issue. To further investigate the issue, a case has been registered”, said, Rajendran, Block Development Officer, Manachanallur.
Sources said among the aspirants was an influential person in the village who offered to pay money to make sure he was elected unopposed. The aspirants promised to pay Rs 14 lakhs for the post of Union Councillor, Rs 10 lakh for the post of Village Panchayat President and Rs 2.92 lakhs for the post of Village
Panchayat Vice-president, sources added.
“This is not the way elections should be conducted. We expressed our dissent from the beginning how can a group of people decide for the welfare of the entire village”, said Sasi Kumar’s friend.
Siruganur Police registered a case under two sections including Section 171 (d) (Personation at election) and Section 171 (e) (Punishment for bribery) of the IPC.