The politician son of the Indian president has been asked to explain the origins of Rs 10 million ($203,000) found in a party worker’s car in his constituency, an official said on Friday. The money was discovered by police during patrols in Amravati district in the western state of Maharashtra earlier this week ahead of local elections which took place on Thursday. The district is the state assembly constituency of Raosaheb Shekhawat, son of India’s President Pratibha Patil, who is a leader of the local Congress party, which rules both the state government and nationally in New Delhi. “We want Shekhawat and state ministers to explain the whole transaction,” district magistrate Rahul Ranjan Mahiwal told AFP.
“If unaccounted money was being used for the election campaign then it is clear violation of the code of conduct and we will take necessary action against the politicians,” he added. Shekhawat said the money was to be given to the least affluent Congress candidates to help finance their campaigns. “I had sought funds from the state Congress committee for distribution among 87 party candidates. Accordingly, Rs 10 million was sent to me,” he was quoted as saying by The Times of India newspaper.
