The police on Tuesday arrested nine persons including a BJP leader from Chhattishgarh for allegedly distributing money to voters in Kalahandi district.
Police identified the arrested BJP leader as Lokesh Kawadia, the Chhattishgarh BJP NGO Cell Secretary. Eight others associates of Kawadia were also detained by police on Wednesday and booked on Tuesday.
Police said they have seized Rs 2.11 lakh in cash and four vehicles from Kawadia and his associates possession. The nine BJP activists from Chhattishgarh were campaigning for the party leaders at Thuamul Rampur block of Kalahandi district for the ongoing three-tier panchayat election.
The last phase of the panchayat election is being held on Tuesday. The BJP's Odisha unit president Basant Panda, however, denied allegation that the party leader from Chhattishgarh was attempting to distribute money to the voters.