Video: Cash recovered from vehicle before ‘Chowkidar’ Narendra Modi’s rally in Arunachal

A midnight raid carried out by observers of the Election Commission of India on the convoy of BJP’s Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Deputy CM Chowna Mein and BJP Arunachal President Tapir Gao led to the recovery of ₹1.8 Crore in cash.

The recovery, hours before Prime Minister and ‘Chowkidar’ Narendra Modi addressed an election rally at Pasighat at 10 am on Wednesday, raised uncomfortable questions. Observers, however, believe that the Commission, rather lenient on the BJP and the Prime Minister, will let it go.

Newspapers in Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday did not carry any report of the rai because it was too late. But the social media circulated videos and audio clips.

Randeep Singh Surjewala, head of communications department in the Indian National Congress, informed the media that “sensational videos on Social Media have emerged where cash is being counted by police officers in the presence of Election Commission’s Expenditure Officer Smt Samrita Kaur Gill (IRS)(her Observer Code: R26172).

Deputy Commissioner of Pasighat Smt Kinny Singh (IAS) is overheard in the video that has emerged and stacks of cash are visible.

Surjewala while briefing the media said that according to his information received from INC sources in Arunachal Pradesh, the cash was being reportedly transported in certain vehicles which were parked at the Siang Guest House, Pasighat.

Five vehicles were searched in the presence of the complainants who belonged to the Youth Congress. The search resulted in recovery of cash of Rs. 1.80 Crores in denomination of Rs. 500 each.

According to the DC Pasighat & SP Pasighat, the recovery of cash was intimated to Shri Priya Ranjan, Income Tax officer stationed at Pasighat for the elections.

Surjewala posed the following questions:

• Was ₹1.8 Cr of cash being transported for the rally of PM Modi in Pasighat today, personally in the CM’s convoy and in the safe hands of BJP President?
• Where did the cash come from?
• Tapir Gao, the BJP chief , has a history of being apprehended with large amounts of cash. Before Manipur elections, he was stopped by the Income tax department with a large amount of cash at Guwahati airport
• Isn’t concealing and hoarding cash during an election a “corrupt practice” and a serious violation of law under Section 123(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1951 and Section 171B of the IPC and is a solid ground for termination of candidature?
• What is the BJP trying to hush up?

Wondering if Prime Minister Modi was aware of the transportation of cash for his rally, Surjewala demanded that an FIR be lodged against Narendra Modi, Arunachal CM Prema Khandu and BJP’s Arunachal Pradesh President, Tapir Gao.