Cash, gold silver worth ₹11 crore seized in Telangana as election code kicks in

Hyderabad Police on Tuesday announced the seizure of cash, gold and silver worth nearly ₹11 crore at different places in the state, just a day after the model code of conduct (MCC) came into effect in the province after the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced assembly elections on November 30.

Deputy commissioner of police, Hyderabad (central zone) M Venkateshwarlu said soon after the announcement on Monday afternoon, police authorities began enforcing the model code as per ECI directions.

“We have started intense checking of vehicles and frisking of suspected individuals to prevent the flow of cash and kind during the election campaign,” he said.

According to MCC guidelines, any cash, gold, silver or other material has to be accounted for.

Officials under the supervision of assistant commissioner of police, Abids, A Chandra Shekar, stopped a white car at Nizam College at around 7.30 pm on Mondayand found some bags in it.

“On verifying the bags, the police found 7 kg of pure gold biscuits and 295 kg of pure silver, all worth ₹7.50 crore,” the DCP said.

The police said the driver, identified as Sai Kumar, and two other people present in the car – identified by the police as K Venkatesh and M Siva Prasad -- said they were working as employees of a gold merchant shop at RP Road, Secunderabad and were transporting the material to their branch at Gunfoundry, Abids.

“However, they did not produce any bills or documents to substantiate their claims. They only showed a piece of paper related to the delivery of the gold and silver, which is need to be verified thoroughly through the Income Tax and Goods and Services Tax departments and the Static Surveillance Team (SST) of the Election Cell for further enquiry,” Venkateshwarlu said, adding that the seized material would be handed over to these authorities for further investigation.

Police also seized ₹15 lakh in cash from a two-wheeler at Puranapul area, ₹30 lakh from a vehicle at Narayanamma Engineering college near Shaikpet and ₹9.3 lakh from a person at Chaderghat on Monday night.

On Tuesday afternoon, the commissioner’s task force, North Zone, along with Banjara Hills Police, seized unaccounted cash of ₹3.35 crore from a vehicle in Banjara Hills and took four people into custody.

“On inquiry, it was revealed that the amount was ‘hawala’ money meant for delivery at various places in Hyderabad. We are inquiring into the source of money flow,” DCP (West Zone) Joel Davis said.