Police records statements of NCP men caught distributing money

THANE: The police has recorded statements of three people from the Nationalist Congress Party ( NCP), who were held for allegedly distributing money to autorickshaw drivers here today and pasting stickers on autos, sources said.

The police said that they were nabbed from near the NCP office in Dombivili at about 4 pm after which cash worth Rs 1.21 lakh, stickers and banners of NCP "candidate" Anand Paranjpe were seized.

Those held had allegedly asked the auto drivers to put up stickers upto April 22 for which they would be paid Rs 2200, the police said.

Police Inspector Milind Patil of the Manpada police station told PTI late tonight that statements of those held have been been referred to the returning officer of the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency. It is only after his opinion that the police would act, he said.

Meanwhile, Anand Paranjpe, in whose name the money was allegedly being disbursed along with the NCP stickers has not filed his nomination papers for the poll.

Since he is not NCP's official candidate so far, the returning officer's decision will be vital for police action.

Moreover, sources said that the three alleged NCP activists who were taken away for questioning are reported to have informed the police that they would show this expense in poll accounts and that auto drivers were accepting compensation as "fuel expenses".