Seizing Rs 4 crore from train in Chennai; Annamalai keeps mum, accused applied for tickets through EQ on BJP MLA’s letter pad

CHENNAI: The BJP in Tamil Nadu is in a crisis following the seizure of Rs 4 crore from a train at Tambaram station. The party’s state chief K Annamalai has not yet responded to the incident. The police have found that the accused applied for railway emergency quota (EQ) on the official letter pad of Nainar Nagendran, a BJP candidate and party MLA from Tirunelveli constituency. The three accused had with them the identity card of Nagendran. They are employees of MLA's hotel.

The election commission's flying squad yesterday arrested three people with Rs 4 crore in six bags during an inspection yesterday. The police had arrested BJP worker S Sathish (33), his brother S Naveen (31) and driver S Perumal (26). It is hinted that this money was taken to distribute to the voters. Those arrested are employees of Kilpauk Blue Diamond Hotel. The search was based on a tip-off that a three-member group had boarded the train with bags. The MLA responded that he has no links with the arrested people. However, the police have not taken this into confidence.

The accused decided to travel by train as they believed that the election commission would catch them if went by road. Although tickets were booked for this, as it was on the waiting list they applied for EQ through MLA’s letter pad. They traveled on Chennai-Tirunelveli Nellai Express’ S7 coach.