Gold jewellery estimated at about Rs. 4.74 crore were seized by election officials from a car near Tholurpatti on the Tiruchi-Namakkal Highway on Saturday.
The jewellery were reportedly being transported to two showrooms at Salem from production units in Madurai. The jewellery packed in 12 boxes were being transported by a logistics firm when a flying squad intercepted the vehicle at Tholurpatti. The jewellery were later handed to the Musiri tahsildar for being deposited with the sub-treasury.
Although the representatives of the logistics firm were said to be carrying documents, officials indicated that there were some discrepancies requiring verification. Sources in the district administration said the matter had been referred to the Income Tax Department.
Meanwhile, election officials seized Rs. 1.60 lakh from a car during vehicle checks at Kumbakonathan Salai near Thiruvanaikovil on Saturday. The cash, officials said, belonged to a building contractor who had claimed that he had drawn it from a bank for being paid as wages to labourers. However, the money was seized as he could not produce any document to support his claim.
