Rs 9 lakh cash seized from Ramanathan Sarathkumar's car

Tiruchendur: Unaccounted cash to the tune of Rs 9 lakh was seized from the actor-turned-politician Ramanathan Sarathkumar’s car near Tiruchendur here in the early hours of Saturday. He becomes the first candidate in this election to have cash seized from his own car. While Tamil Nadu leads among poll-bound states in cash seizures, no candidate has been found carrying a large amount of cash as part of their personal effects.

Being a star campaigner for the AIADMK, the president of All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) and a contestant in Tiruchendur constituency in alliance with the AIADMK under the “Two leaves” symbol, Sarathkumar was on his way to Tiruchendur after campaigning for the AIADMK candidate in Orathanadu in Tanjavur district, when an election flying squad led by the special tahsildar, Vallikannu, stopped his car at Nallur check post near Tiruchendur around 4.30 am.

On checking Sarathkumar’s car, the election officials found '9 lakh in a briefcase. The candidate, however, claimed that the money was for his personal use. He did not, however, have valid documents for the money and hence the election officials have sent it to the treasury.

Sarathkumar, who is also a sitting MLA, left the spot without further arguments with the officials. He said he would get back the money after producing proper accounts statement for the same.