Authorities have seized cash, liquor and drugs worth over Rs 300 crore from across the state so far amid the ongoing Assembly election.
UP will vote in the seventh and last phase of the ongoing election on March 7 (File)
The Income Tax Department, allegedly pulled up in 2019 for its laxity, has seized Rs 75 crore in cash, over five times the seizure it made in 2019, from across Uttar Pradesh. Rs 15 crore was seized from Kanpur alone, of which Rs 11 crore was recovered directly by the Income Tax Department and the rest by other agencies.
Eight Air Intelligence units of the Income Tax Department were formed in Uttar Pradesh to crackdown on the use of illegal cash in the ongoing elections, sources in the agency told India Today TV.
Cash, liquor and narcotic substances meant for distribution among voters, worth a whopping Rs 328 crore, have been seized from across the state since the poll schedule was announced on January 8.
Also Read: | Over Rs 1,000 crore worth cash, drugs, liquor seized during assembly polls, says EC
This is nearly twice the seizure made in the state during the 2017 assembly polls – Rs 193.29 crore.
Uttar Pradesh has already voted in six phases to elect 403 MLAs to the state assembly. The seventh and the last phase is scheduled for March 7. The polled votes will be counted on March 10.
Also Read: | Income Tax department continues search and seizure operations in UP ahead of Assembly polls