Maharashtra: Elections today, BJP gen secy Tawde booked after cash found in hotel room

Three FIRs against Tawde, BJP candidate from Nalasopara Rajan Naik and over 200 others were registered at Tulinj police station in Palghar for allegedly giving cash and liquor to voters, violation of the model code of conduct and conducting a press conference by breaching law.

“We received a complaint from BVA workers and its candidate that BJP leader Vinod Tawde and some other officer-bearers were distributing money. Following the complaint, election officials reached the spot along with police and took action,” said Palghar District Collector Govind Bodke, who is also the Returning Officer for Vasai-Virar and Nalasopara seats.

“After our staff conducted a search at the hotel, they recovered Rs 9.93 lakh cash along with some documents,” Bodke said.

The video of the ruckus between the BJP and the BVA workers have surfaced on the internet. (X/ @SandipDaveOne4)

Videos of the alleged “cash distribution”, many of them shot by BVA workers who barged into the hotel hall where Tawde was present, went viral, after which police registered the FIRs. The BVA workers also gheraoed Tawde, and confronted him.

DCP (zone-2) Pournima Chougule-Shringi said police reached the hotel after receiving information regarding a meeting of BJP leaders. Based on the allegations, police carried out a preliminary inquiry and FIRs were filed over the recovery of illegal cash, the DCP said.

Police may also register a separate case against BVA leaders and activists over allegations of assault, sources said.

The three FIRs against Tawde and others were filed on the complaints of members of a flying squad team and a police head constable.

According to the first FIR, when two flying squad units reached the 5th floor of hotel Vivanta in Virar (East) around noon, they found Tawde, Naik and dozens of other BJP workers in the hall. The flying squad units then searched the rooms on the 4th floor of the hotel. According to the FIR, they seized cash worth Rs 9 lakh, Rs 72,500 and Rs 14,000 from room 405, 410 and 416, respectively. It stated that 500 envelopes, four bottles of liquor, and Naik’s campaign material were also seized.

“Despite the end of the campaign period, the accused persons gathered at the hotel for a meeting and gave cash and liquor to voters, thus breaching the model code of conduct,” said complainant Raju Masale, a member of the flying squad, in the FIR.

The second FIR was filed suo motu by police under BNS Section 163 for violating the Police Commissioner’s order and Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act by visiting other constituencies in the 48-hour silence period before the election.

The third FIR was filed against Tawde and others for unlawfully conducting a press conference that Election Commission officials had to stop midway in the evening.

Leaders of the BVA, a regional outfit, alleged that the cash was meant for distribution among voters in Nalasopara, from where Thakur’s son Kshitij is the party candidate.

As part of the investigation, police are trying to identify independent witnesses and also checking if the hotel’s CCTV captured the alleged money distribution.

After a ruckus of more than three hours, as a joint press conference was being held by Thakur, Kshitij, Tawde and Naik, EC officials stopped it, citing the silence period ahead of voting.

BVA senior leaders helped Tawde leave the hotel premises safely amid aggressive protests by the BVA workers.

Tawde said he was at the hotel for a meeting of BJP workers.

In a statement, Tawde said he was returning to Mumbai from Wada in Palghar when he called Naik to enquire. “I told him all party workers are in a hotel, you can join us for tea. When I reached the hotel, obviously we discussed polls. What all precautionary measures along with technicalities should be taken during the day of polling were discussed,” he said.

“Suddenly a group of workers belonging to the BVA barged inside and encircled me and started shouting. I called BVA leader Hitendra Thakur and urged him to tell his party workers to behave,” Tawde said. “I urge the Election Commission to probe the matter and bring out the truth.”

The BJP rallied strongly behind Tawde, and accused the Opposition of conspiring to malign the image of the party by making unsubstantiated allegations.

In Nagpur, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters, “Tawde is not guilty. He didn’t carry any money or engage in any unlawful activity. No objectionable items were found with him. Tawde’s visit was solely to meet with our party workers.”

“It is like a cover firing. As the MVA is staring at a defeat in tomorrow’s polling, they are trying to shift the attention (of people),” Fadnavis alleged.

BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “Our national general secretary Vinod Tawde was in Vasai-Virar for interaction with party workers. The charges of money distribution are frivolous and baseless. It is a conspiracy to frame a senior leader like Tawde and defame the party.”

“The Opposition has clearly sensed the ground below its feet slipping. And they are now resorting to unethical means to target the BJP.”

BVA’s Thakur questioned why Tawde was in Virar after the campaigning ended Monday evening. He demanded action from the Election Commission and police, claiming he had received information that Tawde was coming to the Virar hotel with Rs 5 crore. “I was told by BJP leaders that Tawde was coming to Virar to distribute money. Initially, we did not believe it as he is a national leader, but when we found him with money, we sought answers,” he told reporters.

“The hotel administration had switched off the CCTV cameras. Action should be taken against the hotel as well,” he alleged.

Opposition MVA leaders also targeted Tawde and the BJP. Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray termed the incident as “note jihad”, and demanded action from the poll panel.

“I have come here to have a darshan of Goddess Tulja Bhavani. When I arrived, my bags were checked, but nothing was found. I learned from the media that cash was found in the bags of Vinod Tawde. Yesterday, there was an attack on NCP leader Anil Deshmukh… Whose job is to check all these? It is the job of the EC officials and they should take action,” he said.

“I hope they will do their job and if they are not doing it we will find a way to get the job done from the higher authority(he meant court).”

Congress in-charge of Maharashtra Ramesh Chennithala said, “The BJP has been misusing the money and power as it fears of losing the election. Tawde was caught red-handed while distributing money and he should be arrested immediately.”