Sitting amid the blackened remains of his home, 32-year-old Nikesh Gawali carefully broke open a half-melted plastic box with a screwdriver. His hands shook slightly, not out of fear, but out of hope. “I’m trying to find my daughter Aarti’s gold earrings,” he said quietly, still focused on the box. “She’s just five. I got them made recently after months of labour work.” The plastic box, warped and blackened by heat, was one of the few things left from his two-room house on the outskirts of Dhamangaon village . All around him lay ash, broken tin sheets and charred wooden beams. The walls had cracked under the heat and the front room’s tin roof had caved in completely. What remained was a blackened debris all around - almost nothing to suggest a home once stood there. Nikesh earns his living as an agricultural labourer, like many in the village. Work is uncertain and depends on the season. Those earrings weren’t just jewellery - they were a small dream, a reward for his hard work,...
- EC team received info about Rs 4 cr cash at office which turned out to be damp squib as strong-room had only Rs 5.70 lakh cash
By Dheeraj Fartode
Flying squad of election commission conducted a raid at Janvad press office, which is run by Congress Candidate Vilas Muttemwar’s son, after one of the election observers received a SMS claiming Rs Four crore cash kept in the office on Thursday night. However, after the day-long drama the election commission officials could dig out only Rs 5.7 lakh cash from the office. The cash was in the office to distribute salaries of employees of the press, said Vilas Muttemwar.
However, this action sparkled charges and counter-charges. A fuming Muttemwar, who virtually stopped his campaign on Friday and stayed back at Janvad office with supporters, charged EC observer with acting at the behest of Gadkari and trying to plant Rs Two crore in his office to malign him. An amused Gadkari camp stoutly denied the allegations and wondered leniency shown towards Congress candidate and questionable role of local officials who remained a mute spectator.
It all started on Thursday night when the squad along with police team raided the office in search of elusive money. As the printing of newspapers was going on, the officers stopped all newspapers bundles and started checking. Each bundle was scanned by the officers in search of cash. They also check-over premises and printing machine. The squad then moved to office of Gitesh Muttemwar, which was locked. They called security guard to open the lock. The guard informed the official that keys are with Gitesh Muttemwar.
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Congress candidate Vilas Muttemwar his son
Vishal Muttemwar along with his supporters.
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Meanwhile, by 2.30 am as the news about this raid spread like wild-fire, City congress chief Vikas Thakre and other leaders rushed to the office and demanded search warrant from officials. Muttemwar informed the mediapersons that Dilip Panasari, election observer had brought cash worth Rs 2 crore with him and attempted to kept the cash in the office. “My party workers foiled the nefarious bid,” he said. The officials had no search warrant or permission, said a visibly angry Muttmwar. The officials asked policemen to guard the room and also kept a video shooting camera to keep watch on the movement.
A junior rank election officer arrived at the office on Friday morning to open the lock of the office. However, Congress leaders refused to let open the office and insisted that Pansari should personally come. A large number of Congress workers hurled expletives at EC officials and Muttemwar while slamming the official on phone gave him a mouthful in front of his cheering workers. This drama continued for hours together with Congress workers demanding search of Gadkariwada where they alleged that lot of cash has been stashed.
The lock was opened around afternoon and officials performed a panchanama and gave a copy to Vilas Muttemwar by evening. Another heated arguments between Congress workers and the election commission officials broke out when the officials seized a campaigning car of Muttemwar. The officials told Congress leaders that they are seizing the car and taking it to police station, where the car will be opened. However, the Congress leaders opposed the move and questioned motive of the officials. After some argument, the election commission officer opened doors of the car. However, only campaigning ballot papers could be found inside. Encouraged by this, Congress workers indulged in heavy sloganeering against EC officials and demanded raid at Gadkariwada and they volunteered to accompany officials.
On the basis of complaint given by Nayab Tehsildar Nandkishore Chhotelal Gautam, Imambada police have registered non-cognizable offence against Gitesh Muttemwar under Representation of People Act.
‘EC official biased, acting on behest of Gadkari’
Vilas Muttemwar, while addressing a press conference, alleged that the election commission was working at the behest of BJP candidate Nitin Gadkari. Pansari, who is officer of Gujarat cadre is biased officer and is only targeting Congress party. The officer is only checking Congress’s vehicles in city, he alleged. However, he has not shown similar courage against Gadkari, he claimed.
Muttemwar charged BJP leader with distributing crores of rupees in the election. “I will complaint against ‘biased’ nature of Pansari to the state election commission,” said Muttemwar. Gadkari is violating model code of conduct everyday. He is arranging parties for voters after rallies and election commission has not initiated action against him. Expenditure officer was not present during the raid, he added.
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