ECI seizures cross Rs.1000 crores in ongoing elections

New Delhi: Enforcement Agencies under the Election Commission of India (ECI) seized over Rs.1000 crore worth of cash, liquor, drugs, freebies and other inducements during the ongoing elections to the State Legislative Assemblies of Maharashtra, Jharkhand and bye-polls.

Overall Rs 858 crores worth of seizures have been reported for the states of Maharashtra and Jharkhand, which is 7 times the seizures done during the Assembly elections in 2019, when Maharashtra recorded seizures worth Rs. 103.61 crores and Jharkhand, seizures worth Rs. 18.76 crores.

In Maharashtra, seizures were recorded in all cohorts across all districts, much higher than in previous Assembly elections. A few noteworthy operations included the seizure of Rs. 3.70 crores of cash from a suspicious Jeep in the Wada police station area in Palghar District.

In another incident, Rs. 5.20 crores worth of silver bars were seized in Raigad. In Jamod Assembly Constituency of Buldhana district in Maharashtra, 4500 kg of Ganja plants worth Rs 4.51 crores were seized. 

Jharkhand also witnessed record seizures and this time focus was also to curb illicit mining activities which resulted in seizures of illegal mining materials and machines involved. In a single incident, Rs. 2.26 crores worth of illegal mining material was seized in Rajmahal Assembly Constituency in Sahibganj district and many such actions included seizures related to illegal mining activities.

The Election Commission of India said another focus area was to have strict vigil over drug movement from neighbouring states.  In Daltonganj, 687 kg of Poppy straw was seized, while in Hazaribagh 48.18 Kg of Marijuana was seized.

Even in bye-elections, there were significant seizures in all cohorts. Amongst big seizure incidents, in Rajasthan, 449 cartons of liquor consignment were seized at Nagaur while in transit from one neighbouring state to another. The cartons were hidden behind many layers of boxes of potatoes.

– global bihari bureau