Lawyers accuse Joshi kin of having two votes, demand FIR

Minister calls them blackmailers

Demanding registration of a case against cabinet minister Anil Joshi, his councillor brother Rajesh Joshi and six other relatives, two Amritsar-based lawyers on Wednesday accused Joshi of getting voter identity cards made for said family members at two places — in Amritsar and Tarn Taran — to benefit himself during the Assembly polls in Amritsar and his brother in the Tarn Taran municipal polls.

Lawyers Vaneet Mahajan and Sandeep Gorsi told mediapersons that after they lodged a complaint with Election Commission in November 2012, the office of Punjab Chief Electoral Officer was asked to inquire into the matter.

It subsequently asked the Amritsar deputy commissioner (DC) to submit a report by January 10, 2013.

The lawyers added that the district administration was "under pressure" and was yet to file the report.

"When we met the DC, he said that he was helpless. We told him that he came under the Ministry of Home Affairs and in case he failed to act, we will take up the matter with the MHA," said Gorsi.

The lawyers claimed they had distributed certified copies of the voter lists in both Amritsar and

Tarn Taran obtained under RTI Act, which included even Joshi's mother Pushpa Rani.

When contacted, Joshi said: "These lawyers are blackmailers. They do not get any cases to fight in court. The administration has to look into the matter. None of my relatives are named in the voter list of two different places. We have already written to the EC for deletion and addition of votes at two places according to the present area of living. The next voter list will make it clear which voter is registered where."

Meanwhile, Amritsar DC Rajat Aggarwal claimed the matter was being looked into "on merit".

... contd.

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