Raut alleges huge money distribution ahead of Assembly polls, questions ECI

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday, alleged that huge amounts of money are being distributed in Maharashtra by the top leaders of the Mahayuti alliance, yet the Election Commission of India is not taking action.

Taking a jibe at the ECI, Raut asked why only the vehicles and planes of opposition leaders are being checked, amid the model code of conduct in poll-bound Maharashtra.

"The Election Commission does its job. You check our cars, planes, and everything. If you carry out this work impartially, we have no problem. But in Maharashtra, where Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar, and BJP are contesting the election, 25 crores have already reached...We also showed videos during the Lok Sabha elections of how 20-20 bags were brought via helicopters...Do you stop the convoys of Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar, Narendra Modi, and Amit Shah and check them?...the way money distribution is happening in Maharashtra, does the Election Commission not see this?" he said addressing a press conference on Tuesday.

"If someone checked PM Modi's helicopter in Odisha, that person was suspended. Does PM Modi not come under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission? Can the PM, HM and union minister distribute anything among the people?...What kind of unbiased justice is this?..." he added.

Earlier, Thane Police seized around Rs 2.5 crore in cash from a row-house in Sector 16 of Nerul in Navi Mumbai on Monday, amid the model code of conduct in place for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections.

The cash was seized in a joint operation by the Election Commission and Thane Police.

"We have seized the cash from a row-house. We are investigating whose money it is and where it came from. The seizure was made jointly by the Election Commission and the police," Senior Inspector Bramhanand Naikwadi told ANI.

On November 6, the Election Commission seized Rs 558 crore worth of cash, freebies, liquor, drugs, and precious metals in ongoing elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and by-polls across 14 states, as per an official release.

In Maharashtra alone, EC has yielded about Rs. 280 crores since the announcement of elections. Another Rs. 158 crores worth of seizures from Jharkhand so far.

In Maharashtra, Cash worth Rs 73.11 crore has been seized while Liquor worth Rs 37.98 crore and Drugs worth Rs 37.76 crore has been seized. EC also yielded Precious Metals worth Rs 90.53 crore and Freebies worth Rs 42.55 crore.

The Maharashtra assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with votes for all 288 constituencies to be counted on November 23.