Vigil stepped up after record haul of unaccounted money

Thrissur: Law enforcement agencies have stepped up measures to monitor the flow of unaccounted money during election in the state even as probe is on to identify the source and destination of about Rs 2.75 core seized by the IT officials from two cars in Thrissur on Monday .
Though IT officials seized the unaccounted money during the intensified surveillance operations to check the use of unaccounted money during the election, no direct evidence has been received yet to confirm that the money was to be used for election, they said.
“We have to conduct detailed investigation to identify the purpose of transporting the money ,“ Chandramohan, deputy director, IT investigation, said.
They said the two people who were detained in connection with the seizure have been released after questioning. When questioned, they had reportedly told the IT officials that the money was meant for gold transaction with a jewellery shop at Anchery , near Thrissur.
Benny John, director of IT investigations, Kochi, said based on the testimonies of the two people, the jewellery shop too would come under the probe.
The IT officials said they have shared the seizure details with the police. Meanwhile, police said they too have stepped up the operations to block the flow of unaccounted money , liquor and other intoxicants to influence voters.
DIG (intelligence) P Vijayan said police have seized unaccounted money to the tune of Rs 14 crore during the raids conducted across the state after the declaration of the elections till April 24.
Police have also seized 237kg of ganja, 3,033 litres of IMFL and 2,700 liters of spirit during this period. Meanwhile, the total amount seized reached up to Rs 17.28 crore on Tuesday , which is the biggest ever amount seized during election period in state.
More seizures were made in Malappuram and Palakkad districts, Vijayan said. He said the police share the intelligence inputs as well seizure details to other agencies like IT, enforcement directorate, customs and excise department.
The squads also seized 78,500 Saudi Riyal and $665 from different locations. Detailed searches have also yielded 11,000 litres of illicit liquor, 30,000 litres of wash, 11.19kg unaccounted gold and nearly 700kg gunpowder.
If the person travelling with huge amounts of money can show the purpose and origin of the money satisfactorily , the money will be returned to the owner. District collectors have been empowered to release the money seized up to Rs 10 lakh.
The search will be intensified in the coming days that will also focus on check posts, chief electoral officer E K Majhi said.