Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Apr 20: After being tipped off by a person that an effort was being made in the town to lure voters by distributing saris, officials of the election flying squad raided the B C Road branch of a cooperative bank on Thursday April 19. They found 1,222 saris packed in ten bundles, and took possession of the saris.

It is said that the complaint about distribution of saris had been made on Wednesday itself but the officials had not acted promptly. Thereafter, the concerned contacted the state election commission at Bengaluru after which the bank was raided, the informant claimed. Head of the investigation team, Rajesh and Seetharam Bhat, said that the officials raided the bank at 11.30 am on Thursday after getting instructions from the election commission.

Bank sources said that these saris had been bought before the election process was set into motion. They were meant for distribution among the members of the bank as uniform. The saris were kept in the bank as it is easier for members to collect them from there, but distribution of saris was withheld as election was announced, they added.

However, during the raid, the officials failed to provide bills towards purchase of these saris. They also fumbled when they were questioned about the people to whom these saris were meant to be distributed, it is gathered.

Complainant, A Govinda Prabhu, claimed that sari distribution has been going on not only in B C Road branch of the bank, but also elsewhere. "After getting information, a complaint was made to the election commission here. The officials, out of fear towards the ruling party in the state, did not take any action. After the state election commission was alerted, the officials here acted, he claimed.