Flying squads seize Rs.59 lakh in Virudhunagar

Flying squads in Virudhunagar district seized Rs.59 lakh from two different locations.

Preliminary inquiries suggested that the cash belonged to banks and they were intended to be loaded in the ATMs in the region.

In the first incident, the poll officials said that during a vehicle check at Pudupatti Vilakku on Srivilliputtur stretch, a sum of Rs.53 lakh was seized by the teams led by Kumaresan.

According to the staff, they were taking the cash to ATMs in Srivilliputtur and Watrap locations.

As there were no documents to show that the cash was withdrawn from the bank and intended to be loaded into ATMs, the officials deposited the money with the treasury.

In the second incident, the squad seized Rs.6 lakh at Krishnankoil.

Though the driver, identified as Rajaram, said that the cash was intended for an ATM outlet in the locality, he could not show any documents. Hence, the cash was deposited with the taluk office in Srivilliputtur.

The Election Commission, in a bid to prevent cash to be distributed to gullible voters, had intensified checks as the polling date is round the corner.

As rumours were agog that some political parties, under some pretext or the other, may indulge in wooing voters by giving cash and other freebies, flying squads and surveillance checks had been stepped up, an official said.