Amravati: President Pratibha Patil`s son and Congress MLA Raosaheb Shekhawat on Tuesday explained to the district collector that the Rs one crore seized from a car on its way from Nagpur to Amravati was meant for poor party candidates.
Shekhawat, who was questioned by Amravati police in this connection earlier, today submitted his statements to the collector through his counsel, in which, he maintained that Rs 87 lakh was meant for distribution among 87 poor candidates
while the remaining amount was to be spent by Amravati City and district Congress committee for election campaign.
He had made these claims earlier as well. Cash of Rs one crore, which was being taken to Amravati from Nagpur in a car, was seized by police in the early hours
of February 12.
Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Rajendra Mulak, in his reply to the collector submitted through his lawyer said he had no knowledge of the transportation of the money from Nagpur to Amravati.
Both Shekhawat and Mulak had been served notices by Amravati district collector.
Following the seizure, the Election Commission had directed the district collector and municipal commissioner to file a report about the incident.
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) had also maintained earlier that the cash was sent by it for distributing it among Congress nominees for Amravati polls.
However, MPCC general secretary Ganesh Patil, who had also been served a notice, appeared in person before the collector and told him that the cash collected through coupons was diverted from Nagpur to Amravati.
Talking to reporters, district collector Mahiwal said there seemed to be some discrepancy in the statements of Mulak and those given by the driver of the car, who transported the cash in the vehicle.
PTI
