The bribery-for-tickets scandal has rocked the Congress camp in Haryana, with AICC leader K.C. Venugopal at the centre of the allegations. Venugopal has hit back, labelling the legal action a joint "sponsored move" by the BJP and CPI(M) to discredit senior Congress leadership ahead of the polls.
While responding to the media, Venugopal said that the petition had initially been submitted to the DGP under the Kerala Chief Minister, but no investigation was carried out at that stage.
A case was registered against Venugopal, MP Kodikunnil Suresh and others, over allegations of accepting bribes in return for an assembly election seat in Haryana.
For your daily dose of medical news and updates, visit: HEALTH
Dismissing the allegations as politically motivated and fabricated, he said he has already initiated legal action. "This is a BJP-CPM-sponsored allegation. I have taken clear legal steps. I have also filed a complaint. Let them investigate," he said.
He reiterated that he has done nothing wrong.
Venugopal also accused Kerala CM of displaying intolerance due to fear of electoral defeat. "Will the CM dare to criticise Narendra Modi or Amit Shah? His comments against them are mild to ensure that they are not offended," he said.
"The UDF is going to the election with a clear stand that it will not make any pact with communal parties," he said.
He further alleged that the CPI(M) has an “evident alliance” with the BJP and NDA in the election.
The complaint was filed by a Haryana-based man who claimed he paid around Rs 7 crore to secure an election ticket for his wife.
According to the complaint, Kumar alleged that he was asked to make payments to secure a Congress ticket for his wife, whom he described as a state general secretary of Haryana Mahila Congress. He claimed that the money was paid in instalments through multiple bank accounts as well as in cash.
Kumar stated that he paid Rs 75 lakh in cash at the Delhi residence of Venugopal after being introduced there for discussions regarding the MLA ticket.
Dismissing the allegations, Haryana Congress President Rao Dan Singh said the charges were "baseless and politically motivated."