Chennai: DMK deputy organisation secretary and MLA S Austin on Tuesday petitioned Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik seeking an urgent inquiry into an alleged cover-up of election expenditure and violation of the model code of conduct by TVK candidate for Dharapuram P Sathyabama. TVK general secretary Aadhav Arjuna had dismissed the video as an AI generated clip, while Sathyabama told reporters that she would initiate action on those who spread the video.He cited a video which was circulated on social media and alleged the woman seen in the video was Sathyabama. Austin said the woman was heard claiming to have spent Rs 31 crore during the April Assembly election.After meeting CEO at the state secretariat, Austin said ECI should summon and scrutinise Sathyabama’s election expenditure accounts and audit the expenses incurred during the April poll. He submitted a pen drive containing the video along with his complaint.“If the expenditure was found to have been concealed, action under Representation of the People Act and other applicable laws should be taken against her,’’ Austin said.He also sought an inquiry into complaints of distribution of cash and gifts, including lamps, sarees and tiffin boxes, to voters in Dharapuram.Asked about the TVK camp’s claim that the video was morphed, Austin said, “No one will accept that it is them. That is what she is also saying.”
