05 October,2014 06:58 AM IST | | Sailee Dhayalkar
The Election Commission’s flying squad seizes paraphernalia from BJP member Raj Purohit’s office in Cuffe Parade, which was put into use for election campaigning without a permission letter
Raj Purohit, Election Commission, Cuffe Parade office, election campaigning, paraphernalia, Former Mumbai BJP president, Assembly polls, Mumbai news
On Saturday afternoon, the Election Commission's flying squad stormed into former Mumbai BJP President Raj Purohit's office at Cuffe Parade. Purohit had rented a temporary office for election campaigning.
Rajesh Sarode, senior executive magistrate of the flying squad, said, "We were in that area in Cuffe Parade and spotted a poster and some flags of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As we began investigating, we learnt that the site was actually Purohit's office. We demanded a permission letter but the people in his office said it was being processed. As they did not have the letter, we seized election paraphernalia from the office."
Former Mumbai BJP president, Raj Purohit
When contacted, Purohit said, "Our karyakarta (party worker) had put the flags and banner in that office and I rented the space three days ago. We could not acquire the permission letter because of consecutive government holidays this week."
An officer from the Cuffe Parade police station said, "The Election Commission's officers carried out the procedure, and we just provided them with some officers to help out."
Raj Purohit's office at Cuffe Parade which came under scanner. PIC/SHADAB KHAN
Dr Tribuvan Singh, who rented out the room in question to Purohit, said, "Purohit and I are friends since 20 years. I gave him this room on rent three days ago, but he accepted it only this morning as there was some equipment in the room." Sarode said his team seized many caps and flags from the room which belonged to Purohit. "We have not registered a complaint yet because we are working on the panchnama," he added.
