With the State political scenario witnessing an unexpected change, as evident from panchayat poll results, a number of incidents of money distribution among voters, particularly by BJD and Congress leaders, came to the fore at different places late on Tuesday night.
A complaint lodged at the Jharipani police station in Sudargarh district accused Rourkela Development Authority (RDA) Chairman and former Minister Sarada Prasad Nayak and his supporters of distributing money among voters.
According to reports, about 200 people gheraoed Nayak and his associates in Jhirapani panchayat on the outskirts of Rourkela while they were distributing money and asking voters to cast votes in favour of the BJD candidates. During the scuffle, some agitators thrashed Nayak and his aides.
On being informed, a police team reached the spot and rescued Nayak and others from the clutches of the irate people. While the cops brought many to the police station, Nayak managed to flee from the spot as a motorbike pillion rider with a party member.
Similarly, police seized `1.04 lakh in cash and huge quantities of country liquor pouches from the car of Bariyam Singh Saluja, brother of former Congress MlA Santosh Singh Saluja, while carrying out a search operation at Sindhekela in Balangir district.
The liquor pouches and the cash were being taken to be distributed among people ahead of the panchayat elections scheduled for fourth phase on February 19. The police arrested Bariyam and later court-forwarded him, according to Balangir SP Ashis Singh.
In another such incident, three persons, including a teacher identified as Trinath Harichandan, were detained by Koraput police for allegedly distributing money to fetch votes in favour of their candidates.
The three were held from Dangarpaunsi under Kundura block in the district. Police seized `38,000 from their possession, according to reports.