Mini-truck with 82 bags of currency notes, coins seized

UNA, APRIL 28

A mobile surveillance team of the Election Department today seized a mini-truck carrying 82 bags of currency notes and coins at Santokhgarh in the Una sub-division. These were packed in discarded cement bags.

Surveillance team leader Sanjeev Kumar said on the basis of a tip-off provided by the police, the vehicle bearing registration number PB10GK 7657 was intercepted at Santokhgarh. He said besides the driver, there was one occupant of the vehicle who identified himself as Ravi Verma, a resident of Kundanpuri in Ludhiana.

Sanjeev Kumar said Ravi Verma showed him a letter pad of the Pirnigaha Temple Committee, on which it was certified that the currency notes and coins were offered by devotees at the shrine and were being handed over to Ravi Verma. The letter bore the signature of the committee chairman of the temple.

When questioned, Ravi Verma said he regularly exchanged coins collected at the temple with currency notes. He said he got coins in sacks, counts these at Jalandhar and pays the due amount to the temple committee.

Additional Superintendent of Police Surinder Sharma said the money was unaccounted for and that the exact amount of money in the bags was not mentioned by the temple committee. He said the money would be counted and kept in the Treasury, adding that further investigations would be initiated.