The police in West Bengal seized Rs 1.13 lakh in cash from the vehicle of Bharatiya Janata Party candidate and former Indian Police Service officer Bharati Ghosh on Thursday night, PTI reported. The state’s chief electoral officer has sent a report to the Election Commission of India on the cash seizure, ANI reported.
Ghatal was reportedly detained for four hours by police, according to ANI. The Election Commission had sought a report from district magistrate on Ghosh’s detention, according to PTI.
Ghosh is contesting from the Ghatal Lok Sabha seat, where she is pitted against Bengali actor and Trinamool Congress candidate Deepak Adhikary, popularly known as Dev. Ghatal will go to the polls on Sunday in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
An unidentified police officer said Ghosh’s car was intercepted at Mangal Bar in Pingla area in West Midnapore district around 11 pm on Thursday, PTI reported. “Cash amounting to Rs 1,13,815 was seized from Ghosh’s vehicle,” the officer said. “We had information that Ghosh was carrying the cash. There were also other people in her vehicle. We are looking into the matter,” the officer said, adding that Ghosh was allowed to leave Pingla police station around 2.45 am on Friday.
Trinamool Congress leaders alleged that Ghosh was carrying the money to “influence voters”. Ghosh denied the allegation and said the money was for her personal expenses.
“I was carrying only Rs 50,000 on me,” Ghosh told PTI. “I had my convenor and driver in my car. My convenor had around Rs 49,000 with him and the driver was carrying Rs 13,000. I have a bank statement detailing the date and the branch from which the amount was withdrawn.”
Ghosh said the amount of money she was carrying did not violate any norm of the Model Code of Conduct.
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