Thiruvananthapuram, 21 April (HS): Senior Congress politician and Lok Sabha candidate Shashi Tharoor has been charged with allegedly conducting a fake campaign against union minister and rival candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar, authorities announced on Sunday. The Cyber Police lodged the complaint on April 15, but the specifics were only published today.

According to police, Tharoor was charged after a complaint was filed by BJP politician J R Padmakumar, who accused the Congress lawmaker of conducting a bogus campaign against Chandrasekhar on a television program.

The complaint claimed that Tharoor made derogatory allegations against Chandrasekhar during the presentation in an attempt to influence coastal voters in the next Lok Sabha election.

According to a cyber police officer, the complaint was lodged under Sections 171-G and 500 of the Indian Penal Code, as well as Section 65 of the IT Act, and an investigation is underway.

IPC 177-G refers to making false statements in connection with an election, whereas IPC 500 deals with defamation. Tharoor, who is running for parliament in Thiruvananthapuram, has yet to respond to the case's registration.

Hindusthan Samachar/Abhishek Awasthi/Manoj