Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), April 1 : Apparently buckling under the pressure from former BJP MLA Sangeet Som, the Meerut police has transferred his case related to thrashing a presiding officer during elections to the crime branch. The case has been shifted almost 50 days after it was registered. Som was accused of 'thrashing' the presiding officer of polling booth number 131 in the Salawa area of Sardhana during voting for the Assembly elections in Meerut on February 10. The transfer of Som's case comes after some policemen "expressed helplessness in investigating the matter due to the BJP leader's influence". "No officer was ready to perform the role of investigating officer (IO) in the case. So, it was forwarded to the crime branch," said a senior police official who did not wish to be named. He said that Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Prabhakar Chaudhary has transferred the case to the crime branch. The former MLA from Sardhana was also accused of taking away the cameras installed at the polling booths after his supporters alleged slow voting at the centre. Terming the offences as 'cognisable', police had lodged an FIR against Som and his supporters under IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty). SP (rural) Keshav Kumar said, "When an FIR is lodged by police, there is always a chance that the probe may get influenced as the IO works under the thana SHO. So, we move such cases to the crime branch for a better probe. It is a routine procedure." /IANS