Srinagar: The Leh police has registered an FIR in connection with the BJP allegedly trying to bribe local reporters for favourable coverage during the Lok Sabha elections.
Leh’s chief judicial magistrate had on Wednesday while acting on an application filed by the Press Club Leh permitted the police to investigate the matter under law.
The order said, “The instant application is allowed and station house officer, police station, Leh, is permitted to investigate the matter under law.” Congress candidate for Ladakh Lok Sabha seat Rigzin Spalbar had also moved the court with a complaint that the BJP has violated the model code of conduct (MCC).
Subsequently, the police registered an FIR at the concerned police station and took up investigation into the matter, the official sources said.
According to a complaint lodged with the police by the Press Club Leh, the BJP leaders including its J&K state president Ravinder Raina and its in-charge for Ladakh constituency Vikram Randhawa, “tried to bribe media persons” on May 2 after a press conference held in Ladakh’s main town “to use their platform to influence the outcome of the election”.
The polling in Ladakh constituency was held in the fifth phase on May 5, three days after the incident. The BJP has denied the charge and threatened to sue the journalists for defamation.
