Evasive SP leader arrested in booth capturing case

After evading police for over one-and-a-half month, ruling Samajwadi Party leader and head of a cooperative Totaram Yadav was arrested today in connection with alleged booth capturing during Panchayat polls, which had come to light through circulation of a video.
Totaram, Chairman of Processing and Construction Cooperative Federation Ltd (PACCFED), was arrested outside a school when he came out after attending 'sports week' function which was attended by PWD Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav and other SP leaders also.
He was taken to the Kotwali police station where he complained of chest pain and was later released on personal bond on medical grounds.

The case was registered against Totaram and his 20 associates after a two-minute video went viral on Whatsapp, purportedly showing him casting vote multiple times at booth number 128 in Bewar block in Mainpuri district on October 13.
The case for booth capturing and misleading the Election Commission was filed on the direction of Mainpuri District Magistrate Chandra Pal after the video went viral.
Totaram, who claims that the case was a conspiracy against him, had been evading arrest and had approached the Allahabad High Court for quashing the case but his petition was dismissed.

"He was taken to the Kotwali police station where he complained of chest pain and was taken to the district hospital for check up," SP Rakesh Shankar said.

The doctors there referred him to U.P. Rural Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Saifai village, Shankar said, adding he was later released on personal surety.
Shivpal Yadav, brother of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, avoided questions on Totaram's arrest and instead highlighted the importance of sports.
Totaram himself was contesting for Panchayat polls from Ward number 6 of the same Bewar block.
Interestingly, the Election officials lodged no complaint about it to anyone. The district administration reportedly had received a report of peaceful elections from the election officers from the booth which was captured.