Income Tax officials seized Rs41mn in cash and 4.52kg gold jewellery valued at Rs13mn during raids conducted over the last three weeks in poll-bound Karnataka, an official said yesterday.
“Of the Rs4.13 crore(Rs41.3mn) seized, Rs4.03 crore is in Rs2,000 and Rs500 currency notes, with Bengaluru accounting for Rs2.47 crore and Ballari Rs55 lakh,” Joint Director of Income Tax Department G Ramesh said in a statement.
The rich mining Ballari town is 330km from Bengaluru.
Election to the 225-member Karnataka assembly will be held on May 12 across the southern state, with the vote count on May 15.
“We have stepped up surveillance and monitoring of activities in view of the state assembly election. Seizure in higher denomination raises eyebrows, as people are finding difficulty in drawing cash from banks and ATMs due to its shortage in some parts of the country,” Ramesh said.
A man was arrested with Rs1.6mn in cash at one of the airports without valid proof of its source.
“A follow-up action against the accused person led to the detection and seizure of additional Rs37 lakhs in his Mumbai premises. We have seized all the cash amounting to Rs53.50 lakh,” Ramesh said.
During the raid, the officials seized Rs5.5mn in cash from a person who got the money from contractor paid. His confession revealed the contractor had evaded tax of Rs160mn.
In another case, household articles valued at Rs95mn intended for distribution was found in a warehouse near Mysuru.
“We have set up a 24x7 control room in Bengaluru to receive election-related complaints from the public and other state agencies. Strike teams have also been formed with powers in all the 30 districts to act,” said Ramesh.