Election Expenditure Appellate Committee releases seized cash

The Election Expenditure Appellate Committee has released ₹.6,16,485 seized by Flying Squads during vehicle checking in Thanjavur Assembly segment on Tuesday.

According to an official release, the flying squads seized currency notes totalling ₹2,73,045, ₹.2,22,650, ₹60,670 and ₹60,120 from four different heavy vehicles at different places falling under Thanjavur Parliamentary Constituency. The money was seized as the transporters were unable to produce necessary documents to establish that the money was being transported for bona fide commercial/personal transactions.

However, later in the day, the Committee released the impounded cash to the “real owners” after scrutinising the documents produced by them to establish that the amount were meant for “purposes not relating to electioneering”.

This is the second time within a week the Appellate Committee released the cash seizures made by the Flying Squads the same day after accepting the documents produced by the owners of the funds. On March 22, the Committee released ₹4.32 lakh seized by the squads during vehicle checking in Thanjavur Assembly Segment the same day.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, General Observer for Thanjavur Parliamentary Constituency Y.K ikheto Sema inspected polling stations identified as “vulnerable” in Orathanadu Assembly segment .

During the inspection of polling station number 81, located at Panchayat Union Elementary School, Mela Ulur, the Observer enquired about the vulnerability factor and the current status of the vulnerability issues, sources said.