Three Congress workers held for distributing cash to voters in Pune

Pune: Three Congress workers were arrested for allegedly distributing cash to voters on the last day of campaigning for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls on Tuesday, police said.

The Congress activists were apprehended by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena members in Rasta Peth area in Pune at around 3.30 pm and they took them to Samarth police station, police said.

"Some MNS party workers informed us that they have captured a few Congress workers distributing money among voters. When we arrested them, we found a voters' list and Rs 16,000 in cash from them," police inspector DA Patil told reporters.

He said police also recovered from the workers a few pamphlets of Congress nominee from Pune Lok Sabha seat Vishwajeet Kadam.

"We have also confirmed that all these three persons are the employees of Bharati Vidyapeeth. One of them is working as a principal. Among two others, one is a professor at Bharti Vidyapeeth's Ayurved College and the other at an engineering college," Patil said.

Vishwajeet is Secretary of Bharti Vidyapeeth Deemed University which was founded by his father Patangrao Kadam, a senior Congress leader and state minister.

Police have identified the accused as Dr Surendra Vedpathak (51), Uday Patkar (33) and Dr Abhinandan Muke. "We have also called an election officer to police station and further investigation is on," Patil added.