Rs 18 crore seized from Dharwad flat shifted to SBI

Dharwad: The Income Tax Department officials, who seized Rs 18 crore from an apartment located at Dasankoppa Circle in Dharwad late on Tuesday night, shifted the cash to the SBI’s Keshwapur branch in Hubballi on Wednesday amid tight police security.

The officials are yet to confirm whether this money belongs to the candidates contesting the Lok Sabha election. However, speculations are rife that this money was stacked in the house of one Basavaraj Dattunavar to be distributed among voters in Dharwad and Belagavi districts. But there is no confirmation from the district poll officials in this regard.

Based on a tip-off that illegal liquor was stored in a house at Aarna Residency, the excise officials raided the house on Tuesday night. They were shocked to find bundles of notes stacked in the house and alerted the flying squad of the Election Commission. As the amount exceeded Rs 10 lakh, the poll officials transferred the case to the Income Tax Department. It took 12 hours for the officials to count the money and secure it in the safe at the SBI branch.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Income Tax officials also searched the house and office of a contractor with whom Basavaraj Dattunavar is said to be associated. It is said that he had revealed that the money belonged to a contractor and had no connection with the election. However, not convinced by this explanation, the officials have registered a case.