"திமுக பித்தலாட்டத்தை அம்பலமாக்கும் தேர்தல் ஆணையம்: ஊடகங்கள் மௌனம் சாதிப்பது ஏன்?"

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வேலூரில் திமுக செய்த பித்தலாட்டங்களை மிகத் தெளிவாக தேர்தல் ஆணையம் வரிசைப்படுத்தியுள்ள நிலையில், இது குறித்து செய்தி வெளியிடாமல் தமிழ்நாட்டின் ஊடகங்கள் கள்ள மௌனம் சாதித்து வருகின்றன. இதுவே, பாஜக அல்லது அதிமுக போன்ற கட்சிகளுக்கு எதிராக இப்படிப்பட்ட அறிவிப்பு வெளியாகியிருந்தால் - தற்போது தமிழ்நாட்டின் அனைத்து ஊடகங்களிலும் அதுதான் தலைப்புச்செய்தியாக இருந்திருக்கும்!

ஊடகங்களின் ஆழந்த மவுனத்துக்கு காரணம் என்ன? மருமகனின் பலமான கவனிப்பு தான் ஊடகங்களின் வாயை அடைத்திருக்கிறதா?

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"தேர்தல் ஆணையத்தின் முக்கிய அறிவிப்பு"

வேலூர் நாடாளுமன்றத் தொகுதி தேர்தல் ரத்து செய்யப்பட்டிருப்பது தொடர்பாக இந்திய சட்ட அமைச்சகம்/தேர்தல் ஆணையம் ஒரு விரிவான அறிவிப்பை வெளியிட்டுள்ளது. அந்த அறிவிப்பில், திமுக செய்த தில்லுமுல்லுகள் விரிவாக வரிசைப் படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளன.

வேலூர் திமுக வேட்பாளர் வீட்டில் கைப்பற்றப்பட்ட ஆவணங்கள், வாக்காளர் பட்டியல் வாரியாக பிரிக்கப்பட்ட கணக்குகள், அதைத்தொடர்ந்து அவருக்கு சொந்தமான கல்லூரியில் சோதனை நடத்த முயன்றபோது - அங்கு மாணவிகள் தங்கியிருப்பதால் உள்ளே யாரும் நுழையக்கூடாது என்று கூறிவிட்டு, பெரும் தொகையிலான பணத்தை வேறு இடங்களுக்கு மாற்ற முயன்ற சதி உள்ளிட்டவை விரிவாக குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளன.

மேலும், திமுக நிர்வாகியான பூஞ்சோலை சீனிவாசனின் உறவினர் வீட்டில் பதுக்கப்பட்ட 11.48 கோடி பணம், பெரும்பாலும் 200 ரூபாய் நோட்டுகளாக வார்டுவாரியாக பிரிக்கப்பட்ட நிலையில் - அவருக்கும் திமுக வேட்பாளருக்கும் இடையே நடந்த தொலைபேசி தொடர்புகள் குறித்த ஆதாரங்களையும், வாக்காளர்களுக்கு கொடுப்பதற்காகவே பணத்தை வைத்துள்ளதாக அவர் அளித்த வாக்குமூலத்தையும் தேர்தல் ஆணையம் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளது.

அதுமட்டுமல்லாமல், இந்த 200 ரூபாய் நோட்டுகள் வேலூர் கனரா வங்கியில் இருந்து பெறப்பட்டது குறித்த ஆதாரங்களையும், அதனை திமுக வேட்பாளருக்காக கனரா வங்கியில் பெற்றவர் பூஞ்சோலை சீனிவாசன் தான் என்பதையும் ஆதாரத்துடன் தேர்தல் ஆணையம் பதிவு செய்துள்ளது.

மேலும், கைப்பற்ற பணக்கட்டுகள் மீது குறிப்பிடப்பட்டிருந்த வாக்குச்சாவடிகள் அனைத்தும் வேலூர் மக்களவைக்கு உட்பட்ட வாணியம்பாடி மற்றும் கே.வி.குப்பம் சட்டமன்றத் தொகுதி வாக்குச்சாவடிகளின் பட்டியல் தான் என்பதையும் தேர்தல் ஆணையம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

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"குற்றச்செயலில் ஊடகங்களுக்கு தொடர்பா?"

தமிழ் மானத்தை கப்பலேற்றிய திமுகவின் பித்தலாட்டங்கள் அதிகாரப்பூர்வமாக ஆவணப்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ள நிலையில் - இந்த விவரங்களை வெளியிடாமல் ஊடகங்கள் மௌனமாக இருப்பது, திமுகவின் குற்றச்செயல்களில் ஊடகங்களுக்கு இருக்கும் பங்கினையே எடுத்துக்காட்டுகிறது!

தேர்தல் ஆணையத்தின் விரிவான அறிவிப்பினை கீழே காண்க:

13. The aforesaid report of the DGIT(Inv.) further elaborates on the facts stated in the preliminary report referred to in para 11, highlighting that search warrants were issued based on information on record and the search teams entered the residential premises of Sh. Kathir Anand and Sh. Durai Murugan in Vellore at 3:00 a.m. on 30.03.2019. Rs. 19.57 lakhs were found, out of which Rs. 10.57 lakhs were seized as unexplained after considering the cash declared in the election affidavit etc. Apart from this, 82 loose sheets (computer printouts) containing details of number of voters in each assembly segment of Vellore Parliamentary Constituency and the amount required at the rate of Rs. 500 per vote and at Rs. 200 per vote for distribution to 100%, 80% and 60% of the total number of voters. The report mentions that due to the presence of a large crowd which had entered the premises and prevented any further activity of the search team, the proceedings were concluded at 10:50 a.m. on 30.03.2019.

14. The said report of the DGIT(Inv.) Chennai states that, Kingston Engineering College was simultaneously searched from 8:00 a.m. onwards on 30th of March, 2019 as the search teams had not been allowed to enter early in the morning by the security personnel purportedly due to the presence of ladies in the girls’ hostel. The search team observed that evidently there was prior rummaging of the premises and removal of material including the control panel of the CCTV as well as the hard disks of the computers. Further discreet surveillance resulted in the confirmation that a large amount of cash and other incriminating material had indeed been shifted out of the college premises while the teams were being denied entry.

15. Further as per DGIT report, based on the intelligence gathered during the discreet surveillance, certain premises of close associates of the candidate Shri Kathir Anand and their relatives were identified and fresh searches u/s 132 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, at Katapadi Taluk, Vellore District were initiated on 01.04.2019. Cash totalling Rs. 11.48 Cr., kept in cartons, gunny bags, plastic bags etc. was found from the residence of one Sh. Damodaran, who is brother-in-law of one Sh. Srinivasan, a DMK functionary. The cash found in bags was further packed in plastic packets on which computer-generated labels were pasted. The labels contain the name of the assembly segments (in Vellore PC), name and number of blocks, name and number of wards, total number of voters and amount at the rate of Rs. 200 per vote. The total amount of cash in the plastic packets tallied with the amount written on the label. Most of the currency found was of the denomination of Rs. 200. Only an amount of Rs. 99 lakhs was in the denomination of Rs. 2000 and Rs. 500 and this amount had not been packed in plastic packets for distribution. Apart from Rs. 2.8 Crores, in the denomination of Rs. 200, found in cartons, the rest of the amount, approximately Rs. 7.68 Crores was packed and ready for distribution. In addition, unused labels, loose sheets with details of ward-wise breakup of voters and documents related to Kingston Engineering College were found.

16. The report mentions that Shri Srinivasan alias Poonjolai Srinivasan, in his statement recorded u/s 131 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, owned up the cash found, without giving any other details regarding the source of this aforesaid cash. Even in respect of the quantum of cash, he has stated that it would be approximately Rs. 9 Cr. He has never filed IT returns and did not give any consistent answer regarding his source of living. He mentioned the source of money found to be from real estate business but could not cite even one deal done by him and thus, could not substantiate the source of cash with any credible evidence. He also stated that he was Town Secretary (Agriculture Wing) of DMK party in Katpadi. He further stated in his statement that he has prepared these packets of cash for distribution to voters. When these facts were confronted to Shri Kathir Anand and Shri Durai Murugan, they have acknowledged that they knew Sh. Poonjolai Srinivasan as a party functionary of DMK but denied knowledge about the cash found.

17. The younger nephew of Sh. Srinivasan, namely Sh. Surender Babu, s/o Sh. Damodaran was also available in the premises where the cash was found but expressed ignorance about the existence of cash in their house. In his sworn statement before IT Authorities, he stated that his uncle P. Srinivasan had taken the key of the house from him in the evening of 30.03.2019 and that Sh. Srinivasan had only kept the cash and other papers in the night of 30.03.2019. Sh. Surendra Babu also stated that some associates of Sh. Kathir Anand had called him on 30th and 31st of March, 2019 to check whether Sh. Srinivasan a.k.a. Poonjolai Srinivasan had come to the place or not. This, prima facie, explains the nexus between the candidate Shri Kathir Anand and Shri Srinivasan.

18. Further, the source of the above-mentioned seized cash was investigated by the Income Tax Department by making independent inquiries from Canara Bank and by conducting consequential search operations. In this regard, a report was received from the Director General of Income Tax (Investigation), Chennai on 12.04.2019 stating that an amount of Rs. 10.5 Cr. (out of seized cash of Rs.11.48 Cr.) in Rs. 200 denomination was counted using the latest counting machines which capture the serial numbers of the currency notes and the RBI was requested to trace the origin/currency chest from which these were issued. It was found that the same have been issued from the cash chest of Canara Bank, Vellore Branch. A response was sought from the Managers of the cash chest, namely, Sh. Singaram and Sh. Vinod Krishnan regarding the matter. They have responded vide letter dated 10.04.2019 that the same was done at the behest of Sh. M. Dayanidhi, Senior Manager at Canara Bank Regional Office, Vellore whereby they raised their internal Branch Advise Requisition and exchanged higher denomination notes for Rs. 200 denomination notes. As a consequence, Sh. Dayanidhi’s residence was searched and his statement taken by the Income Tax Department. He admitted to have facilitated the exchange of currency for Sh. Poonjolai Srinivasan, a DMK Party functionary. He stated that cash was exchanged in 3 to 4 instalments in March, 2019 and the stated purpose was to meet incidental party expenses and to distribute to people brought for party meetings. The report also explains the modus operandi followed for the said exchange of currency.

19. The DGIT(Inv.) has also made the following concluding remarks,

“It is evident from the events that unfolded from the evening of 29.3.2019 till the recovery of cash on 01.04.2019, the manner in which the cash was packed, the papers found along with the cash and the statements of the persons concerned that the unaccounted cash was indeed packed in the Kingston engineering College and the residence of Shri Kathir Anand and Shri Durai Murugan and it was clandestinely shifted to the premises of a relative of a Party functionary during the period when stiff resistance was offered to the Monitoring Team from entering the residence and cash belonging to the main persons and that the cash was indeed meant for distribution to the voters in the ensuing General Elections-2019 for the Vellore PC where Sh. D.M. Kathir Anand is a contesting candidate. The unpackaged portion of the cash and the unused labels which were also seized clearly indicate that the candidate was making preparations to cover all the target voters in the said Parliamentary Constituency.”

20. The above-mentioned findings of the search and seizure action by the Income tax authorities were communicated to the DEO and the SP of Vellore by the Investigation Directorate in Chennai and accordingly an FIR bearing Case No. 205/2019 was lodged by the district administration at Katapadi P.S. on 10th April, 2019 u/s 125A(1) of the RP Act, 1951 r/w 171E, 171 B(2) of the Indian Penal Code against three named accused, namely, Shri D . M. Kathir Anand, Shri Srinivasan alias Poonjolai Srinivasan and Shri Damodaran.

21. The candidate, Sh. D.M Kathir Anand, filed a representation dated 7.4.2019 which was received in the Commission on 10.4.2019 requesting the Commission not to act on the report of Income Tax if it is contrary to the truth and to ask the Income Tax Department to be impartial, un-biased and neutral. The CEO has already considered the representation of Sh. Kathir Anand and made the following recommendation, “the reporting of the Income Tax Department and the FIR filed reveal certain specific wrongdoings by a candidate and his associates. The candidate has contested the reports of the Income tax Department. In my view, independent report of the Expenditure Observers can also be called for by the Commission to decide this issue, since the election process should not be allowed to be vitiated by any political party or candidate.”

22. The Expenditure Observers vide their report dated 07.04.2019 stated that the envelopes containing the cash had ward-wise details of Vaniyambadi and K.V. Kuppam Assembly Constituencies of Vellore PC. They state that while this pertains to two out of six segments in the PC, they are not in a position to ascertain whether something similar has not happened in other assembly segments also. It is further stated that the influence of cash in the election process is visible and may hamper free and fair election.

23. Special Expenditure Observer for Tamil Nadu filed a report dated 08.04.2019 regarding the search and seizure operations undertaken by the IT Department in Vellore. It has been stated that the searches have unearthed a systematic design to influence voters through inducements. These activities come under the ambit of “corrupt practices” as per Section 123 of the RP Act, 1951. The Special Expenditure Observer is of the opinion that the situation is not conducive for the conduct of free and fair elections.

24. The CEO Tamil Nadu has filed his final report on the matter vide Letter No. 4636/Ele.X/2019-12, dated 12th April 2019, wherein he has stated as under:

“These cash seizures of Rs. 11.48 Cr. along with evidence in the form of computer printouts detailing proposed assembly segment, ward and booth wise money distribution suggests a clear cut pattern and design to induce the electors at a large scale across the Vellore Parliamentary Constituency, which is against the principle of free and fair elections. This organised way of inducement of voters has thus vitiated the electoral environment which is now not conducive for conducting inducement free, ethical election in Vellore Parliamentary Constituency at this juncture”.

25. The Commission has carefully analysed and examined the whole situation as prevailing in the said constituency. It is apparent from the facts and the evidence brought on record, which is narrated above, that inducement and allurements to electors by the candidate, political party and their associates by distribution of money has been going on at a large scale and in a clandestine manner, vitiating the purity of the electoral process and disturbing the level playing field in Vellore Parliamentary Constituency.

MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
(Legislative Department)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 16th April, 2019