State BJP leaders in Jammu & Kashmir have been caught ‘red handed’ distributing envelopes, allegedly filled with currency notes, to reporters in Leh.
On May 3, Press Club Leh had accused the BJP of trying to bribe its members by offering “envelopes filled with money”.
On the same day, State BJP leaders had denied these allegations claiming they were “politically motivated”.
On Tuesday, a CCTV footage, surfaced in public domain which clearly exposes BJP MLC, Vikram Randhawa, handing over envelopes to journalists after the Press conference.
State BJP Chief Ravinder Raina is also seen standing in the hall.
In the same CCTV footage, two other BJP leaders Vikram Randhawa and Narinder Singh, party general secretary, can be seen pacifying local reporters in Leh after they refused to accept the currency notes.
Some of the journalists can be clearly seen returning the packets and placing it on a table in the hall in the presence of every one present there.
When this correspondent tried to contact State BJP Chief Ravinder Raina for his comments he refused to take the calls. His alternate mobile telephone number was also switched off.
Earlier, State BJP Chief Ravinder Raina had also threatened to file a defamation suit if the Press Club Leh did not issue a public apology.
“The BJP will not tolerate such allegations. It will file a defamation suit in the high court against the press club if it fails to make a public apology,” Raina had stated while responding to different queries.
Several members of Press Club Leh had also approached Deputy Commissioner, Leh with their complaint seeking registration of FIR against Ravinder Raina and MLC Vikram Randhawa for allegedly trying to bribe journalists by offering money in envelops to influence the outcome of elections.
Press Club, Leh, president Morup Stanzin said the letter was written but said they had not lodged the complaint with the police.
“We have lodged our complaint with deputy commissioner, Leh, who is also the returning officer on Friday... After a press conference, Randhawa handed over the envelops filled with money to some journalists who returned these to him immediately,” Stanzin added.