Australian news broadcaster releases video of BJP worker trying to bribe cops ahead of polling
BJP worker was caught on video allegedly plotting to bribe officials in UP's Sambhal constituency
A video obtained by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) purportedly shows a BJP worker, Bhuvnesh Kumar Varshney, planning to bribe police and polling officials in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal constituency ahead of the May 7 election. ABC has stated that they have independently verified the authenticity of the video.
The footage, shared by ABC News' South Asia Bureau Chief and Correspondent Meghna Bali on her X (formerly known as Twitter) handle, features Varshney outlining a strategy to manipulate the election process. The caption read, “The ABC has obtained and verified a video showing a BJP worker named Bhuvnesh Kumar Varshney plotting to bribe police and polling officials in UP's Sambhal constituency before the May 7 poll. Watch the full video below with captions.”
In the video, Varshney is heard instructing others on how to create disturbances at polling stations without resorting to violence. "The [polling] agent will challenge the voter by accusing him of voting on forged documents," he is seen saying. "Do not use violence, no use of firearms and any other weapon, don’t physically assault anyone. You just need to create a fake scene so there will be chaos, so women will stop coming to polling station."
Varshney further suggests that the disruption would lead to a lower voter turnout. He also advises the bribing of police officers at polling booths, specifying amounts: 500 rupees for officials and 100 rupees for juniors. "Keep money in their pocket saying this is for tea only, not for anything else," he purportedly instructs.
On May 10, various media outlets, including Scroll, reported allegations of police misconduct during the polling in Sambhal. The Uttar Pradesh police were accused of storming booths, confiscating identity cards, and assaulting voters, particularly in Muslim-majority villages that previously supported the Opposition Samajwadi Party. The Samajwadi Party had won the Sambhal parliamentary seat by a margin of 1.7 lakh votes in the 2019 elections.
Varshney, the ABC reported, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police days before the May 7 election. According to the report, he was detained "under a section of law aimed at preventing the disturbance of peace.”
The ABC has obtained and verified a video showing a BJP worker named Bhuvnesh Kumar Varshney plotting to bribe police and polling officials in UP's Sambhal constituency before the May 7 poll. Watch the full video below with captions. pic.twitter.com/TWeihzlEDL
— Meghna Bali (@meghnabali) May 24, 2024
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Body of UP girl who fell in Meghalaya waterfall recovered
Shillong (PTI): The body of a 15-year-old girl from Uttar Pradesh who fell into a waterfall in Meghalaya's Sohra area while trying to take snaps a day ago was recovered on Thursday morning, officials said.
The girl had gone missing on Wednesday after she reportedly slipped while trying to take photographs and fell into one of the deep natural pools at the Wei Sawdong Falls, they said.
Search operations were conducted through Wednesday but were called off after sunset.
Around 7.30 am on Thursday, locals spotted the body stuck between rocks near the waterfall, officials said. Following this, a joint team of Fire and Emergency Services and the Sohra Police recovered the body around 10 am.
"Local village volunteers resumed the search early this morning and spotted the body, following which we recovered the body," a senior official told PTI.
The body has been sent for post-mortem, he added.
