Ahead of last phase of election in Bengal, man from Varanasi with Rs 71 lakh cash held at Durgapur station

Kolkata: Days after three persons were arrested with unaccounted cash worth more than Rs one crore in West Bengal's Kolkata, a man from Varanasi was held on Thursday with 71 lakh unaccounted money from Durgapur railway station.

According to reports, the man has claimed to be a jeweller who was in Bengal on business, police have launched an investigation in order to ascertain his claims. 

This is the second big cash haul from the state in the last week where nine seats are scheduled to go to polls in the last phase of Lok Sabha election.

Earlier on Wednesday, three persons were arrested in two separate raids in the state. Two were arrested from central Kolkata’s Mir Bhahar Road and Strand Road crossing with Rs  65 lakh and one was arrested from Strand Road with Rs 35 lakh unaccounted money. 

So far, Rs 65.59 crore in cash, Rs 20.43 crore worth liquor, Rs 4.06 worth narcotics and Rs 18.58 crore worth precious metals have been confiscated in West Bengal, according to the Election Commission's May 16 'Progressive seizure report'. 

Across India, a total of Rs 834.29 crore in cash, Rs 290.12 crore worth liquor, Rs 1,266.45 crore worth narcotics and Rs 985.67 crore worth precious metal including gold has been seized. A total of Rs 3,434.44 crore has been seized by the EC since March 10 - when the Model Code of Conduct came into effect till date. 

In the 7th phase, Kolkata North and Kolkata South, Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jadavpur, Diamond Harbour, Jaynagar (SC) and Mathurapur (SC) parliamentary constituencies will go to polls in the state.