Karnataka: Pre-poll seizures amount to more than Rs 400 crore before first phase of polling in state

A day away from LS polls, election authorities in Karnataka had seized about Rs 433 crore worth of contraband in the form of cash, drugs, alcohol, and precious metals by Thursday since the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct more than a month ago.

The contraband includes Rs 86.66 crore in cash, 132.54 kg gold, 302.37 kg of silver, 47.23 kg of diamonds, 546.66 kg of drugs, and 147.15 litres of alcohol.

The Excise department has booked 27,625 cases under Section 15(a) of Karnataka Excise act 1965 – selling alcohol without a licence. Flying Squads, State Surveillance Teams (SSTs) and police authorities have booked 2,149 FIRs with regard to seizures of cash, liquor, drugs, precious metal and freebies so far.

On Thursday, the authorities seized Rs 10 lakh in cash in the Bengaluru North constituency, and 1.113 kg of gold worth Rs. 55,00,000, as well as Rs 34.9 lakh in Bengaluru rural.

Election Commission authorities said they were on high alert this time around, as assembly elections in May last year had seen record-breaking seizures of nearly Rs 375 crore, marking a 4.5 times increase from 2018 assembly polls.

Friday will see 14 out of 28 constituencies in Karnataka cast their votes, whereas the rest will choose their MPs on May 7.