Sting on Awadhesh Kushwaha: Election panel seeks reports from district magistrates

PATNA: A day after industry minister Awadhesh Kushwaha resigned, the Election Commission has sought a report from the district magistrates of Patna and East Champaran on the ‘sting’ that showed the minister purportedly accepting Rs 4 lakh from individuals posing as businessmen from Mumbai. Kushwaha quit soon after the video went viral on Sunday.

JD(U) asked the minister to resign after the video went viral although he denied involvement in the case in a statement to a section of reporters. Additional chief electoral officer R Lakshamanan confirmed EC has sought a report from DMs of East Champaran and Patna. “We will first look into the inquiry report,” Lakshamanan told ET over phone.

PM Modi who addressed two election rallies on Monday highlighted the Kushwaha episode by saying the corruption case came to light on the birth anniversary of JP. BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi demanded a CBI probe. JD(U) is looking for a nominee to replace Kushwaha in Pipara seat of East Champaran. Polling in the seat is in the third phase.