Bidkar faces police case over alleged money distribution

The police have booked BJP leader Ganesh Bidkar following allegations of distribution of money during poll campaign

Pune: The police have booked Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ganesh Bidkar following allegations of distribution of money during poll campaign.

The police have booked BJP leader Ganesh Bidkar following allegations of distribution of money during poll campaign. (HT)

Samarth police on Sunday filed a case against the former corporator and four others following a complaint from Congress party.

The FIR was filed based on the complaint filed by Faiyaz Kasam Sheikh (38) of Mangalwar Peth, and a youth wing leader of Congress party.

Sheikh, who was at Maldhakka Chowk along with his party supporters at around 2:10 am on Sunday, came to know that BJP workers were influencing voters by allegedly distributing money at Aiesh Complex in Mangalwar Peth. When he rushed to the spot, he found Bidkar and others allegedly distributing money. Later, both parties had heated arguments and engaged in physical assault, said police, adding that both parties filed cross complaints.

Ramesh Sathe, senior inspector, Samarth Police Station, said, “We haven’t found money, but chits and slips of political parties. We have registered a case against Bidkar and others under Sections 323 and 504 of the IPC.”

Meanwhile, Ravindra Dhangekar, Congress candidate from Kasba Peth bypoll constituency, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Rupali Thombare Patil faced allegations of violation of code of conduct.

Dhangekar on Saturday staged a protest at Kasba Ganpati temple alleging that BJP party workers were influencing voters by distributing money and police have turned a blind eye to the violation.