CHENNAI: The Crime Branch – CID officers probing the seizure of Rs 4 crore cash that was suspected to be used to bribe voters during the 2024 Lok Sabha election grilled BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP from Puducherry, S Selvaganabathy for close to 10 hours.
The BJP leader had appeared before the investigators at the CB-CID headquarters in the city for the inquiry into the seizure of Rs 3.99 crore from three persons travelling in the Nellai Express in April last year, according to a Daily Thanthi report.
The cash allegedly belonged to BJP candidate Nainar Nagendran, who contested from Tirunelveli Lok Sabha constituency, as the people who were caught with the cash were either his staff or BJP men or both.
On July 16, 2024, Nagendran, the BJP’s floor leader in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, appeared before the CB-CID headquarters for questioning.
After hours of inquiry, the BJP legislator who met the media persons said, “I told them that I have no connection with the cash seized from the trio on the Nellai Express train. I was busy in my constituency, campaigning.”
The case was initially being investigated by the Tambaram city police before being transferred to the CB-CID.
Based on a tip-off about cash being carried in the two-tier AC coach of the Chennai-Tirunelveli Nellai Superfast Express, the Election Commission’s flying squad along with the Tambaram Police nabbed the trio - S Sathish and S Naveen of Agaram in Chennai and S Perumal of Srivaikundam of Thoothukudi district on April 6, 2024.
According to the police, one among the three arrested, S Sathish (33), is the manager of Hotel Blue Diamond in Purasawalkam owned by Nainar Nagendran.
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* Rs 4 crore cash seizure case: BJP's Nainar Nagendran appears for inquiry at CB-CID office in Chennai