UP, Punjab lead in cash, drug seizures

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 22

The Election Commission (EC) has so far seized over Rs 83 crore cash, 7 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs 12.65 crore and narcotics valued at Rs 10.30 crore in the five poll-bound states, with Uttar Pradesh and Punjab topping the list.

Since the poll dates were announced, the Election Commission in its data compiled till yesterday said Uttar Pradesh witnessed the maximum cash seizure of Rs 79.13 crore (Rs 31.65 lakh in old notes), followed by Rs 4.05 crore in Punjab, Rs 33.27 lakh in Uttarakhand and Rs 6.95 lakh in Manipur.

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In other illegal inducements suspected to be used to lure voters, a whopping 7.36 lakh litres of liquor and over 500 bottles of canned beer worth Rs 12.65 crore have been seized by the commission-appointed police and state excise teams.

In Uttar Pradesh, these seizures were recorded at 3.95 lakh litres worth Rs 10.7 crore, followed by 3,09,351 litres spirits worth Rs 1.14 crore in Punjab, 25,907 litres worth Rs 72.91 lakh in Uttarakhand, 4,605 litres worth Rs 7.5 lakh in Manipur, and beer and other hard spirits worth Rs 1.35 lakh in Goa.

Of the total 1,485-kg drug haul valued at Rs 10.30 crore by the anti-narcotics agencies and police teams, Punjab accounted for maximum 1,134 kg worth Rs 9.06 crore, followed by UP with Rs 286.65 kg worth Rs 83.58 lakh, Goa Rs 17.22 lakh, Uttarakhand Rs 15.36 lakh and Manipur Rs 7.62 lakh.

Officials said a total of “Rs 83.58 crore in cash, 7.36 lakh litres of liquor along with 525 bottles of beer worth Rs 12.65 crore and an estimated Rs 10.30 crore worth of narcotics have been seized in the five poll-bound states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur, till data recorded up to January 18”.

The Election Commission has appointed about 200 election expenditure observers apart from other central observers to keep tabs on black money and illegal inducements used to bribe voters. The Assembly elections will be held between February 4 and March 8, while the counting of votes will take place on March 11.