Chashma lo, vote do

NCP's Sachin Ahir accused of bribing voters by organising free eye check-up camp under the guise of NGO that he is a member of

NCP's Sachin Ahir accused of bribing voters by organising free eye check-up camp under the guise of NGO that he is a member of

A week before the Assembly polls in Maharashtra, the Congress-NCP alliance is embroiled in a fresh controversy.

After some BJP and MNS activists alleged that Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam tried to bribe voters in Kandivli by distributing money and alcohol on Tuesday night, a case has now been registered against Sachin Ahir, NCP candidate from Worli and the sitting MLA in the area, for violating the election code of conduct.

Election observers noted that on October 4, Ahir distributed free spectacles to voters under the banner of Sankalp, an NGO of which he is a member.
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Chashme Baddoor: Sachin Ahir.

"The returning officer (RO) has sent a letter to Ahir and asked for an explanation. By distributing free spectacles, Ahir was trying to bribe voters.

This is clearly a violation of the code of conduct," said an officer on election duty from the collector's office.
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Respite for Rane

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Narayan Rane, accused of taking his government vehicle into restricted area, was found not guilty.

He had accompanied Congress' Sada Sarwankar, who filed his nomination papers in a Mahim school on September 25.

"According to the RO report, Rane's vehicle was not parked inside the school compound. It was not an offence," said an officer.

Cash for Votes

MNS and BJP workers allege Sanjay Nirupam, Bharat Parekh (Congress-NCP candidate from Charkop) and other Congress workers distributed money to voters on Tuesday night in Kandivli.
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Nirupam denied this, saying, "I don't know why the BJP and MNS people are after me. They did the same thing
last time."

The Other Side

Sachin Ahir said he has replied to the notice. "Yes, a free eye check- up camp was organised under the banner of Sankalp and free spectacles were also distributed among the people.

But I have done nothing wrong, as doctors were present at the camp. All of them were professionals," explained Ahir.

Did you know?
Sachin Ahir is the nephew of gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli.