Cong urges EC to nullify Chhattisgarh assembly bypoll

Congress today urged the Election Commission to declare the result of the Antagarh assembly bypoll in Chhattisgarh null and void and order a CBI probe into allegations that its candidate was induced with money to withdraw from the fray.
A delegation of Chhattisgarh Congress today met EC officials against the backdrop of a media report about an audio tape containing purported conversations between senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Ajit Jogi, his son Amit, his 'associates' and Puneet Gupta, son-in- law of Chief Minister Raman Singh, to allegedly fix the 2014 byelection to Antagarh (ST) seat.
"The incident comes under the ambit of corrupt practice as defined by the electoral laws. The money that changed hand also comes under various sections of IPC and Prevention of Money Laundring Act.

"Therefore, you are requested to order a CBI probe into the allegations and declare the results of the bypoll null and void," the Congress memorandum submitted to the EC said.
Chhattisgarh government had last night submitted its report to EC on the surfacing of an audio tape which suggested financial inducement behind the Congress candidate withdrawing from fray in the assembly bypoll.
Though there was no official word on the contents of the report, sources said the Commission has been told by the state government that the "probe is still in progress".

On December 30, EC had directed the Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh to urgently institute an inquiry into the tape episode. He was directed to submit a factual report latest by January 7 along with his comments.

Chhattisgarh unit of Congress has expelled Amit for six years and has demanded the expulsion of Ajit.
After sacking Amit, Congress had dared BJP to sack Chief Minister Singh.