TURA: Surveillance teams of the election commission have seized money to the tune of one lakh rupees and several dozen bottles of liquor in two separate incidents under Gambegre constituency of West Garo Hills district on Friday.
Static surveillance teams of the election commission led by a magistrate and a police official during vehicle checking at 9th mile road under Gambegre intercepted a West Bengal registered Tata Sumo coming from the border village of Gasuapara towards Tura.
On inspection they found the occupant, Mitwel Ch Sangma, carrying one lakh rupees which he claimed was meant for labour payment. Under election rules any individual carrying more than fifty thousand rupees on self has to provide evidence as to where he got the money and for what purpose it is being taken.
The money was seized and deposited in the Tura Treasury and the owner of the money has been asked to provide proof to election officials about the purpose of transporting the money for it to be returned to him.
In another case, forty bottles of liquor headed for Chokpot town in South Garo Hills was seized by election officials on the same highway at 9th mile. The 375 ml bottles were being transported from Tura when they were seized.
This is not the first time money has been seized during election campaign time. During the By-election to Tura Lok Sabha seat, two years ago, election officials seized several lakh rupees from a car on the national highway at Jengjal outpost while it was being brought to Tura. The money was being transported allegedly by a relative of a legislator from the ruling side.