Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Oct 29 (IANS): Legal action has been initiated against the Congress candidate in the Ghatampur Assembly segment, Dr. Kripa Shankar Sankhwar after he was caught on camera giving money to a villager.

Bypolls are to be held in Ghatampur on November 3.

The video showing the candidate giving currency note to a person during campaigning in a village, had gone viral on social media on Wednesday.

His followers were seen accompanying him in the video.

The purported video triggered a controversy with the rival candidates accusing the Congress candidate of trying to influence the voters in the constituency by distributing money among them.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Ghatampur, Arun Kumar, said, "The purported video has been acknowledged and we have issued a notice to the Congress candidate in the matter."

Krishna Murari Shukla, BJP president (Rural) said, "The candidate was clearly seen distributing money to a man in the video. He was trying to influence voters by giving him money. It clearly violates the model code of conduct of elections. We have sent a complaint to the Election Commission."

Sankhwar, however, denied the charge. "In the video, I am giving my visiting card to a villager during campaigning. It is a conspiracy and someone has shot a video to blackmail me."