Ahead of Lok Sabha polls BSF seizes Rs 20 lakh, apprehends three in Meghalaya

Guwahati, Mar 15 (IBNS): Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Border Security Force (BSF) troops apprehended three persons with Rs 20 lakh cash in Meghalayas West Khasi Hills district on Thursday, officials said on Friday.

Acting on a tip-off, the BSF troops deployed at Lalghat inWest Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya apprehended three Indian nationals.

The BSF personnel recovered Rs 20 lakh in possession from them.

The nabbed persons were identified as Smith Ch. Sangma, Purno R. Marak and Amiston T Sangma.

A top official of BSF said that Amiston T Sangma was carrying the other two Indian nationals from Gumaghat to Rongdu Village on his bike bearing registration no ML-06-4839 (Bajaj discover).

They revealed to the BSF that they received the money from Shillong.

On March 13, they stayed in a hotel at Police Bazar area in Shillong. The purpose of money is also yet to be confirmed. Name of some persons involved in the case also surfaced in this illegal trade of yaba smuggling from across the border, the BSF official said.

The BSF has stepped up its special drive against the smugglers and intensified its operations on Indo-Bangladesh Border to prevent the nefarious design of trans-border criminal to maintain tranquillity in bordering areas of Meghalaya state as well as illegal transport of money keeping in view of the forthcoming general election.

Apprehended persons along with seized items were handed over to the concerned department for further legal action.

(By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)