Ex-minister Raja and 40 others acquitted in poll-related case

Former Union minister and DMK leader A Raja was acquitted today by a magisterial court near here of the charges of obstructing public servants from doing their duty during the 2014 Lok Sabha poll.
The court acquitted him along with his 40 party workers saying the prosecution failed to prove charges against them.
As per the prosecution, Raja, a candidate from Nilgiris parliamentary constituency, along with his party workers, had gone to a lodge on April 21, 2104 on a tip off that AIADMK workers, including a minister, were allegedly distributing money to voters.
As the gate of the lodge was locked, Raja entered into an argument with some district and police officials deployed there and sat on a dharna till midnight, for which a case was registered against him on charges of obstructing government officials from discharging their duty.

Raja, however, contested the claim and said he had gone there to prevent AIADMK workers including the minister from distributing money.
But the department officials, instead of preventing those AIADMK politicos from distributing money, registered false cases against him and party workers, he said.
The case had been going on at the Mettupalayam magisterial court for the last three years.
Delivering the judgment, Magistrate Saravanappa acquitted Raja and 40 others, saying the prosecution failed to prove the charges.