India, Aug. 16 -- With less than a week to go before the keenly watched BEST Employees' Credit Society elections, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police has launched a preliminary enquiry against eight senior office-bearers of the society over alleged irregularities in the purchase of a Lonavala property. The inquiry adds to a parallel probe by the state cooperation department, fuelling political tensions between the newly allied Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on one side and the BJP-led Mahayuti on the other.

The credit society - controlled by the Sena (UBT)'s BEST Kamgar Sena and now in alliance with the MNS for the August 18 polls - is accused of paying Rs.18.04 crore for a rest house in Lonavala, ...