New Delhi, April 5: In a significant crackdown, election flying squads and enforcement agencies have seized a total of ₹319 crore worth of cash, alcohol, and other freebies in West Bengal as of Sunday. An official reported these findings.
West Bengal leads among the five states and union territories holding elections, with seizures including ₹150 crore in freebies, ₹55 crore in alcohol, ₹39 crore in precious metals, and ₹11 crore in cash. These items are allegedly intended to bribe voters.
According to the Election Commission, law enforcement agencies have also confiscated drugs valued at ₹65 crore from the state ahead of the two-phase elections scheduled for April 23 and 29.
The Commission noted that out of 29.63 lakh liters of alcohol seized across all five states and union territories, West Bengal accounted for the highest amount at 21.29 lakh liters.
In Assam, flying squads and monitoring teams have seized ₹4 crore in cash, along with 6,84,627 liters of alcohol valued at ₹20 crore. As of April 5, Assam has reported seizures of drugs worth ₹56 crore, precious metals worth ₹4 crore, and other freebies valued at ₹13 crore. The total value of seized gifts and banned items in Assam now stands at ₹97 crore.
In Tamil Nadu, a total of ₹170 crore in assets has been confiscated, including ₹67 crore in drugs, ₹63 crore in other freebies, ₹30 crore in cash, ₹8 crore in precious metals, and ₹2 crore in alcohol.
Kerala’s Election Commission has reported the recovery of bribe items worth ₹58 crore, which includes ₹41 crore in drugs, ₹8 crore in cash, ₹5 crore in other freebies, ₹2 crore in alcohol, and ₹1 crore in precious metals.
In Puducherry, the seized items are valued at ₹7 crore, comprising ₹6 crore in precious metals, ₹20 lakh in cash, ₹30 lakh in alcohol, and ₹1 lakh in other freebies.
Overall, enforcement agencies have confiscated over ₹651.5 crore worth of cash, alcohol, drugs, precious metals, and freebies across all five states.
To ensure a violence-free, threat-free, and inducement-free election, the Election Commission has deployed 5,173 flying squads in the states and union territories. They aim to resolve complaints within 100 minutes. Additionally, over 5,200 static surveillance teams have been stationed at various locations to monitor sudden protests.
My name is Himanshu Tiwari. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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