Rs. 5.50 lakh seized from a traveller at Mysore Airport; gold worth Rs. 10 crore confiscated at Bidadi

Mysore/Mysuru: Unaccounted cash totalling Rs. 5.50 lakh was confiscated at Mysore Airport yesterday by teams enforcing the Model Code of Conduct.

The seizure occurred at the Static Surveillance Team check-post established at the Airport, with the carrier identified as Mohammad Jasin, en route to Hyderabad. Jasin failed to furnish documents verifying the source of the substantial amount, leading to the confiscation of the cash.

Tahsildar Mahesh Kumar and Assistant Election Officer Nandeesh instructed staff to deposit the seized money in the District Treasury.

In a separate incident, election officials intercepted gold worth Rs. 10 crore in Ramanagara during a routine inspection on the Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway at Bidadi. The vehicle, travelling from Mysuru to Bengaluru, was halted at the Hejjala Toll Gate, where the seizure took place.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission reported that election-related seizures in Karnataka surpassed Rs. 300 crore on Friday since the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct on March 16. Karnataka’s Lok Sabha elections are scheduled in two phases on April 26 and May 7 across its 28 Constituencies.

Since March 16, the Election Commission, in collaboration with its enforcement teams comprising Flying Squads, Police and Static Surveillance Teams, has conducted seizures totalling Rs. 307.61 crore in Karnataka.

According to a statement from the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka, the seizures include Rs. 46.01 crore in cash, Rs. 7.73 crore worth of articles intended for free distribution, liquor valued at Rs. 147 crore, narcotic substances worth Rs. 9.75 crore and gold worth Rs. 24.38 crore, among other items. Additionally, 1,587 FIRs have been filed in connection with the seizure of cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and freebies.

Excise Dept. has taken action, including booking 2,002 heinous cases, 2,531 cases for breaches of license conditions, 119 cases under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act and 12,766 cases under section 15 (a) of the Karnataka Excise Act 1965. Furthermore, authorities have impounded 1,214 vehicles of various types.