Archive · 7 Oct 2026
TVK Candidate Faces ECI Probe Demand Over Viral Spending Video
A video shared online seems to show a candidate talking about money spent during an earlier election.
The woman in it is heard saying she spent ₹31 crore.
The candidate, P Sathyabama, says the video is fabricated and denies that it is her.
A politician from the DMK has asked election officials to investigate.
His complaint also refers to about ₹14 lakh for travel, accommodation and other campaign arrangements.
He wants officials to check the candidate’s spending records.
He says action should follow if the rules were broken.
The articles do not report the result of any investigation.
A social-media video purportedly features Dharapuram TVK candidate P Sathyabama discussing election spending.
The woman in the clip is heard claiming she spent ₹31 crore in the previous Assembly election, when she contested on an AIADMK ticket.
DMK MLA S Austin filed a complaint and asked the Election Commission to examine Sathyabama’s campaign expenditure records.
Austin’s complaint cited about ₹14 lakh for logistics, including accommodation and travel for visiting campaign figures.
Sathyabama denied being the woman in the video and described it as fabricated; Austin sought action if spending irregularities are established.
- Who
- TVK candidate P Sathyabama and DMK MLA S Austin.
- What
- Austin asked the Election Commission to investigate election-spending claims in a video purportedly featuring Sathyabama; she denied the video was genuine.
- When
- Tuesday, during the Dharapuram bypoll; one article’s embedded post is dated October 6, 2026.
- Where
- Dharapuram, Tamil Nadu; Austin submitted his complaint to election officials in Chennai.
- Why
- Austin alleged that the spending discussed in the video may not have been properly disclosed and requested verification of expenditure records.
Austin's complaint
Sathyabama's response
Authenticity of the video
Austin's complaint
Austin cited the circulating clip as purported evidence of Sathyabama discussing election spending.
Sathyabama's response
Sathyabama denied that she was the woman in the video and described it as fabricated.
Disclosure of campaign spending
Austin's complaint
Austin asked election authorities to check whether the spending was recorded and reported, and sought action if irregularities were found.
Sathyabama's response
The articles report Sathyabama's denial of the video but do not provide a separate detailed response from her to the expenditure-record allegations.
- Candidate
- P Sathyabama, TVK candidate in the Dharapuram bypoll
- Previous election
- Sathyabama had contested the previous Assembly election on an AIADMK ticket and won from Dharapuram.
- Claim in video
- The woman in the clip is heard saying she spent ₹31 crore in the previous election.
- Amount cited in complaint
- Approximately ₹14 lakh for logistics and related campaign costs, according to Austin’s complaint.
- Complainant
- DMK MLA S Austin
- Complaint recipient
- Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik and election officials
- Requested review
- Verify day-to-day expenditure registers and take action if violations are established.
- Candidate's response
- Sathyabama denied being the woman in the video and called the video fabricated.
