UP polls 2017: EC orders FIRs against Agra, Moradabad candidates of SP, BSP and Peace Party

“According to EC rules, no candidate can spend more than Rs 27 lakh on poll campaign. The BSP candidate is said to have claimed in the video, which has been aired on television, that he has spent Rs 4 crore. Investigation is on to verify the authenticity of the video,” he added.

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Saifi, however, alleged political conspiracy. “An edited version of the conversation was aired by a news channel, following which, the FIR was lodged.”

Meanwhile, the Agra police filed an FIR against SP candidate from Agra North, Atul Garg, on charge of bribing voters.

Agra SSP Pritinder Singh said: “A sting operation conducted by a news channel allegedly showed Atul Garg accepting that he had bribed voters to get them to vote in his favour. As these were serious charges, we have registered an FIR and the video is being sent for forensic test to ascertain if it was genuine.” Garg, a prominent local businessman and hotelier, claimed that the tape has been doctored. He alleged that his comments are being shown out of context.

Peace Party candidate from Agra Cantonment, Rakesh Valmiki, has also been booked for allegedly trying to influence voters with money.

He too had allegedly said in a video that he had spent money to get votes.