After distancing itself from the cash-for-vote fiasco in the municipal election 2013, the district Congress has also disassociated itself from the claimant of the cash, Akeel-ur-Rahman.
Rahman has claimed that the seized money belonged to him and is donation collected from various sources.
Officials of Ranchi District Congress smell a rat in the cash-for-vote saga and indicated it to be someone else’s design to scuttle the chances of incumbent Rama Khalkho — backed by the Congress — in the mayoral election.
Congress district president Surendra Singh said, “The party has nothing to do with the cash that was seized. It is an attempt of the Opposition to malign the image of the Congress.”
Singh refused to comment on the future course of action in the wake of this fresh twist in the case, saying, “The matter is sub judice, so I would not comment.”
The district president has hinted that the party would enquire about the incident after the accused in the case, Niranjan Sharma, comes out of custody. “We will ask him why he was carrying money and how he landed at the spot,” added Singh.
The Congress has also decided to constitute a committee to investigate the matter, which has dragged senior party members and their aides into soup. “The committee is yet to be constituted,” said Singh, adding, “It would comprise three to four members of the party.”