Shiv Sena leader's kin booked for carrying phone inside Lok Sabha vote counting centre

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 16 (ANI): An FIR was registered against Mangesh Pandilkar, a relative of Shiv Sena leader Ravindra Waikar for allegedly carrying a mobile phone inside a counting centre in Maharashtra's Goregaon.

The case has been registered at Vanrai Police Station. FIR has also been registered against a polling personnel Dinesh Gurav, who was an Encore (poll portal) operator with the Election Commission.

Mumbai's Vanrai Police has sent a notice to Mangesh Pandilkar and Dinesh Gurav under section 41A of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

The mobile phones have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory(FSL) to recover the data and fingerprints present on the phone are also being taken, the police said.

"We are also investigating the CCTV cameras of the Nesco Center, which may help us to find out how the mobile phone reached inside the centre and also investigating whether there are more accused involved in this case or trying to find out who supplied this mobile phone," Vanrai Police said.

Notably, Ravindra Waikar won the Mumbai North-West constituency by a small margin of 48 votes. The constituency witnessed a close fight between both Shiv Sena factions - Eknath Shinde's Ravindra Waikar and Uddhav Thackeray's Amol Kirtikar.

The constituency witnessed a close fight between both Shiv Sena factions - Ravindra Waikar from Eknath Sinde's Shiv Sena and Amol Kirtikar from Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT). After the final result, Waikar was declared winner by just 48 votes.

Ravindra Waikar joined Shiv Sena in the presence of Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, in Mumbai in March this year.

Further investigation is underway in the case and more details are awaited. (ANI)