Chennai: With just three days left for the Nanguneri by-poll, a case has been filed against seven people including DMK MLA Saravana Kumar for possessing cash, allegedly meant to be distributed to voters in the southern constituency.
The case has been filed after a group of villagers rounded up a house at Ambalam near Moolakaraipatti in the constituency yesterday and seized unaccounted cash of Rs 2.78 lakh. The election officials were later informed following which the case has been filed.
Saravanakumar, who represents Periyakulam, claimed that the money was for personal use and not was not for distributing to the voters.
He also said the cadres were sleeping when the mob raided the house and also accused the villages of stealing his money, jewellery and mobile phone.
This is said to be the fourth incident where cash has been seized from the constituency. Earlier ae flying squad had seized Rs 3,98,700 in three different instances from different political parties.
Congress from the DMK alliance has fielded Chennai-based builder Ruby R Manohar as the candidate. AIADMK has fielded V Narayanan from Nanguneri.
By-poll will also be held for Vikravandi constituency in which DMK has fielded N Pugazhendhi against M R Muthamizhselvan of the AIADMK.
Meanwhile, a petition filed by independent candidate Sankarasubramaniyan to postpone the Nanguneri by-poll was dismissed by the Madras High Court today.
Polling will be done on 21 October and results will be announced on 24 October. The Vikravandi Assembly seat fell vacant after DMK MLA K Rathamani passed away in June. Nanguneri is vacant after Congress MLA H Vasantha Kumar resigned in May after being elected as Member of Parliament.