Tamil Nadu tops in cash seizure ahead of elections.
Income Tax authorities in Chennai have seized Rs 15.13 crore unaccounted cash from a contractor and his associate, ahead of the Lok Sabha and assembly bypolls in Tamil Nadu.
A senior officer told NDTV, "14.21 crore cash was seized from the home of Contractor N Sabesan alone. He owns M/S Dowell Associates and around 27 lakh from his associate M Saravanan."
Sources say a tip off was received about huge amount of cash being shifted from a dilapidated apartment but by the time officials reached the cash had been moved. However, the officer added, "We pursued the clandestine money trail from Nanganallur to RA Puram and found it in Sabesan's house."
Investigators aren't ruling out that the money was meant for purchase of votes. However, they are not sure about their political alignment. Sabesan's firm, they say, largely took government contracts for construction.
Tamil Nadu tops in cash seizure ahead of elections. The Election Commission says Rs 129.907 crore has been seized in the state alone. Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh come second and third with 127.855 and 119.57 crore recovered respectively.
Ahead of the RK Nagar bypolls in Chennai in 2017, Income Tax authorities had recovered documents from the state health minister's house suggesting payment of around Rs 100 crore to voters in the constituency. However the case was ultimately closed.