BJP leaders of Munugode have moved the Election Commission of India (ECI) with a complaint that the ruling TRS was allegedly invading their privacy by probing bank transactions and resorting to tapping of phones ahead of bypoll. They sought action against the “malpractices” committed by Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

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The complaint came after the TRS gave a list of 23 bank accounts of locals in Munugode alleging that the BJP candidate K Rajagopal Reddy’s family firm Sushee Infra has transferred money to these individuals in order to distribute cash among the voters prior to the bypoll which will be held tomorrow. Based on the TRS complaint the ECI had issued a notice to Reddy and sought an explanation by 4 pm yesterday. Reddy sent his reply to the commission last evening.

In a letter to the ECI, BJP national general secretary in-charge of Telangana Tarun Chugh pointed out that banking details of any individual or company and transactions are deemed to be a private transaction and even the Right to Information (RTI) Act does not permit a person to get anyone’s banking details.

“TRS party leaders are openly stating that they are probing into the bank transactions of some individuals and companies which itself shows the commission of illegal acts by TRS party and its leaders and the said actions also constitutes an offence under relevant provisions of Indian Penal Code,” he said while claiming that the bank accounts cited by the TRS are fictitious.

Chugh also complained the phones of BJP leaders who are working in Munugode and those of state leaders are being illegally tapped. He called it a serious offence and needless to say is not permissible under the law to tap someone’s telephone without a legal process. These actions are nothing but an abuse of legal process by ruling the TRS party.

The BJP leader also accused the TRS of using mobile money transferring app to bribe voters in Munugode apart from pressurising government employees through various employees associations. He said, “Fake allegations have been made by the KCR government of engineering defections against the BJP without concrete evidence. This is a blatant attempt to mislead the voters.”

Meanwhile on Monday night, the Income Tax Department conducted raids at the residence of a personal assistant to Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy in Nalgonda town barely two days ahead of the bypoll. The raid went on till late last night.