Rs 1.8 cr in cash seized from Arunachal CM's convoy, EC should file case against PM: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday alleged that a "cash for votes" scam was busted in Arunachal Pradesh with the recovery of Rs 1.8 crore in cash from Chief Minister Pema Khandu's convoy and asked the poll panel to register a case against Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as the chief minister and his deputy.

Accusing the BJP of using "money power" to woo voters in the northeast, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Rs 1.8 crore was allegedly recovered from the chief minister's convoy in Pasighat around midnight, hours before Modi was to address a rally there on Wednesday morning.

Khandu and his deputy Chowna Mein should be immediately sacked, he said and also sought the termination of the candidature of Tapir Gao, the BJP's Arunachal Pradesh president who has been fielded from the Arunachal West Lok Sabha constituency.

Surjewala showed two videos purportedly showing the cash being recovered in the presence of officials of the Election Commission, the local administration and the police.

The party did not vouch for the authenticity of the videos, saying they were available on social media. It also claimed the raid was conducted after Youth Congress workers complained to authorities in Pasighat.

There was no immediate comment available from the BJP or the EC on the recovery of the cash in a midnight operation.

Alleging a cash for votes scandal in Arunachal Pradesh, Surjewala said, "Facing imminent defeat, a desperate BJP is resorting to 'money power' in the northeast.

"A midnight raid on the convoy of BJP's Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu, Deputy CM Chowna Mein and BJP Arunachal President Tapir Gao has found Rs 1.8 crore in stacks of hard cash that exposes the brazen corruption and poll violation, as PM Modi holds a rally in Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh."