Chhattisgarh bypoll 'fixing': EC asks chief secy to probe audio tape

The Election Commission on Wednesday asked the chief secretary of Chhattisgarh to 'urgently' institute a 'suitable enquiry' into the surfacing of an audio tape which suggested financial inducement behind the Congress candidate withdrawing from fray in an assembly bypoll last year.

"The EC has directed the Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh to urgently institute a suitable enquiry into the tape episode. He has been directed to submit a factual report latest by January 7 along with his comments," an EC official said.

The EC action came hours after a media report about the audio tape containing purported conversations between senior Congress leader and former chief minister of Chhattisgarh Ajit Jogi, his son Amit Jogi, his 'associates' and Puneet Gupta, son-in-law of Chief Minister Raman Singh, to allegedly 'fix' the byelection to Antagarh (ST) seat.

Chhattisgarh Congress has issued a show-cause notice to Amit and decided to wait for a report from the state unit before taking any action against Ajit Jogi since he is a member of the Congress Working Committee, the party’s top decision making body.