Rs 2 crore cash seized near Molakalmuru

The Income Tax authorities, late on Thursday night, seized unaccounted money of Rs 2.17 crore at Eddalaboyyanahatti check-post on Rayadurga Road, bordering Andhra Pradesh.

The cash was being transported by a vehicle with Ballari registration number. The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody and the cash deposited with the bank. There were rumours on social media that the money was meant to lure voters.

Kolar district police, in a late night operation on Thursday, seized Rs 70 lakh which was being transported in a cement-bag laden truck, near Kondarajanahalli in the taluk.

The police had received information that the cash was being transported from a cement godown in Kolar by a truck bound for Avalahalli in Bengaluru. A team led by Deputy Commissioner
G Sathyavathi intercepted the truck and on a search, found the cash concealed amid cement bags.

SP Rohini Katoch Sepat told DH that the cement bags in the truck belonged to Nagaraj Hardware of Kolar and they were being transported to a contractor in Avalahalli.

The SP said that it was not clear whether the cash was meant to be distributed to voters or was black money. A notice has been issued to the owner of the hardware stores to appear for the inquiry. The Income Tax authorities too have been notified and they are also conducting a separate probe.

Poll officials seized Rs 25 lakh, which was being transported in a car at KHB Colony in Kudligi, Ballari district. A shawl with BJP symbol was also found in the vehicle. In another incident, Rs 3.96 lakh, which was being transported by a bike was seized in Muddebihal of Vijayapura district.

A team led by the district election officers raided Sapna International Hotel and seized Rs 85,000 found in a room where a person, said to be relative of Ashok Kheny stayed. Kheny is the Congress candidate from Bidar South Assembly
constituency.