Cash, Liquor & Freebies Worth Rs 540 Cr Seized Since Poll Announcement

New Delhi: Enforcement agencies have seized suspect cash, illegal liquor and drugs worth Rs 540 crore from across the country in the run up to the elections. Odisha accounts for Rs 1.54.

According to a statement issued by the Election Commission on Tuesday, liquor worth Rs 1.37 crore (53 lakh litres) was seized in the State.

Tamil Nadu recorded the maximum seizure of these illegal inducements, suspected to have been routed and used to bribe voters, worth Rs. 107.24 crore, followed by Uttar Pradesh Rs. 104.53 crore, Andhra Pradesh Rs. 103.4 crore and Punjab Rs. 92.8 crore.

Karnataka saw a total seizure of inducements and cash worth Rs. 26.53 crore, Maharashtra Rs. 19.11 crore and Telangana Rs. 8.2 crore.

The polls were declared by the Election Commission on March 10 and as per data updated till March 25, a total of Rs 143.37 crore suspect cash, Rs 89.64 crore worth of liquor, drugs valued at Rs. 131.75 crore, gold and other precious metals worth Rs 162.93 crore and other freebies of Rs 12.20 crore have been seized.