Mangaluru : An FIR has been filed against Food and Civil Supplies and District in-charge Minister U T Khader for distributing money and trying to lure voters in view of the Gundlupet Assembly constituency bypoll.

A section of the media had reported that Khader lured a voter with money during a campaign in Gundlupet on March 27. L Suresh, a resident of Gundlupet town, had lodged a complaint with the Election Officer against the minister and his car driver, who was also seen giving money to a person.

According to Election Officer Nalin Atul, it is illegal to distribute money to any individual when the poll code of conduct is in force. An FIR has been filed against the minister and permission has been sought from the court to conduct a probe, Atul said.

Atul said that illegally stored liquor had been confiscated from various parts of the district and cases have been registered.

Meanwhile, U T Khader on Friday rubbished the allegations that his car driver was involved in distributing money for vote during an election campaign for bypoll to Gundlupet Assembly, reports from Mangaluru.

Reacting to a media query on the issue, Khader termed it (note-for-vote allegation) as politically motivated as the saffron party is edgy over losing the election and thus indulging in creating confusion among voters.

Khader clarified that the driver in question was a Congress worker, as the ministers are not allowed to travel in their official vehicles during election. He was paying money for a bottled water and that was misconstrued as influencing voters with inducements, he explained.

Saying that Congress party will never indulge in making false allegations, Khader added, the party did not make it an issue, when the BJP nominee in Nanjangud by-election received notice from election commission for violating model code of conduct.

Exuding confidence that the party nominees will romp home with victory in both the seats, Khader said, “The people in Gundlupet may be innocent, but aren’t fools.”

Khader said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s frequent visits to Chamarajangar town, breaking the jinx associated with the town, was suffice to send a strong message among the voters.