SP leader booked for booth capturing in Mainpuri

Mainpuri, Oct 17: A Samajwadi Party leader and fourteen others were today booked for allegedly capturing a polling booth in the district during second phase of panchayat elections on Tuesday.

A video went viral yesterday, which showed Totaram Yadav allegedly stamping ballot papers in bulk at Raipur polling booth in Bewar block as poll staff and police remained mute spectator.

The FIR has been registered against Yadav along with 14 named and 15 unidentified persons, SO Bewar Narendra Singh said. Earlier, district administration has directed to lodge an FIR against Yadav.

"I have directed the officials to lodge an FIR against Yadav and others, including poll officers and policemen deployed on duty," District Magistrate Chandra Pal Singh said. He said that polling at Raipur polling booth has been been cancelled and re-poll has been ordered.

"I have seen the video after which I talked to top officials and asked them to verify it and if found true strict action should be taken irrespective of the fact that who is the person concerned," State Election Commissioner S K Agarwal said.

Chairman of Processing and Construction Cooperative Limited (PACCFED) Totaram Yadav is contesting for zila panchayat membership from ward number six of Bewar block, which include Raipur polling booth. Yadav, however, denied the accusation and said there were several "discrepancies" in the video. "As you can see that man shown in the video is fat, whereas I am lean and thin.

Besides, I never wore 'payjama' in my entire life. If it is proved than I will retire from political life," he said. BJP took the opportunity to attack SP government for "irregularities" in panchayat polls and accused it of misusing the government machinery in favour of its candidates.

"People have not forgotten Etah incident and now this fresh video of Yadav, who enjoys the status of minister of state, has went viral," BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak alleged.

PTI