Independents wife seeks return of seized cash

SALEM: Perhaps in a first, Jayalakshmi (30),  wife of an Independent candidate, M Jeevanandam, who unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls, blocked and squatted before the Collector’s car on Monday demanding to return the cash of ` 83,000 seized from her husband during the polls.Jeevanandham is the founder-president of the Shanmugam Podhuvudamai Kattumana Thozhilalar Sangam and his wife, Jayalakshmi is the State General Secretary of the party.Jeevanandham contested as an independent from Salem West. On April 9, his vehicle  was intercepted by a flying squad on election duty and seized Rs 83,000 in cash. Though Jeevanandham explained that he was taking the money for a marriage, the officials seized the cash. A day after the seizure, he staged a protest at the collectorate asking the officials to return the money.