Cash, Liquor Flow In This Odisha Panchayat, Sarpanch & Samiti Member Candidates Among 3 Arrested

Nayagarh: Three persons, including a Sarpanch and a Samiti Member candidate for the ongoing panchayat polls in Odisha, have been arrested for allegedly distributing liquor and cash to woo the voters at Mayurajhalia panchayat under Ranapur block in Odisha’s Nayagarh district on Wednesday.

The accused have been identified as Sarpanch candidate Sushant Kumar Kalasa, Samiti member candidate Manmanth Tripathi and ward member candidate’s husband Nanda Maharana.

According to sources, the locals detained the three while they were distributing cash and liquor at Mayurajhalia village and later handed them over to police.

Two motorcycles and 10 litres of liquor were seized from their possession.

A similar incident was reported from Puri where locals intercepted a liquor-laden tractor in Astaranga area last night and detained two persons.  It is being suspected that the liquor was transported to a panchayat to woo voters.

Notably, the State Election Commission (SEC), Odisha, has imposed a ban on the sale and distribution of liquor 48 hours before the commencement of the panchayat elections. Polling for four more phases f the three-tier panchayat poll will be held on February 18, 20, 22, and 24.