Pune police have registered a non-cognizable offence against three individuals for allegedly distributing cash to lure voters for Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidates contesting civic elections in the city's Baner area. The incident, which highlights concerns over electoral malpractice, led to the seizure of over Rs 2.5 lakh.
The Alleged Cash-for-Votes Operation
According to officials, the case unfolded after senior police inspector Chandrashekhar Sawant of Baner police station received specific information via social media on Friday. The tip-off claimed that two persons were distributing money to people at an automobile garage near Lakshmi Mata temple in Baner. The alleged aim was to influence voters to support NCP candidates from ward number 9 in the upcoming civic polls.
Acting swiftly on the intelligence, a police team along with members of the election flying squad rushed to the reported location. At the spot, the officials apprehended one of the accused, identified as Ganesh Sunil Lingayat. A search of a two-wheeler in his possession led to the recovery of election campaign material and a significant amount of cash.
Cash Seizures and Expanded Investigation
Police seized Rs 1.5 lakh in cash from the vehicle, which was later found to belong to another accused, Rushikesh Bhagwan Balwadkar. Following this lead, the investigation team conducted a search at Balwadkar's residence in the Balewadi area. This subsequent raid resulted in the seizure of an additional Rs 1,03,050, taking the total amount of confiscated cash beyond the Rs 2.5 lakh mark.
The police have booked three persons in connection with the case. Besides Lingayat and Balwadkar, the third accused is garage owner Rohit Lakshman Uttekar. A non-cognizable (NC) offence has been lodged against the trio under Sections 170 and 173 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Political Background and Context
The case has direct links to the local political dynamics of Baner's ward number 9. One of the NCP candidates from this ward is Amol Balwadkar. Interestingly, Balwadkar was formerly with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but switched allegiance to the NCP last month after being denied a ticket by his former party. He joined the NCP in the presence of party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
In a twist of political rivalry, the BJP has fielded Lahu Balwadkar against Amol Balwadkar in the ward. Reports indicate that Amol Balwadkar was also keen on contesting the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections from the Kothrud constituency. However, the BJP chose to field its senior leader and minister, Chandrakant Patil, from Kothrud instead, which may have influenced his decision to change parties.
The registration of this case underscores the vigilance of authorities against attempts to unduly influence the electoral process with financial inducements. The use of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections also marks a significant legal step in addressing such offences. The investigation is ongoing, and the incident is likely to fuel political debates in the run-up to the civic elections.
