Itanagar: More than Rs 5 crore unaccounted cash have been seized from different places in Arunachal Pradesh after the model code of conduct came into effect, a senior police officer said Monday. Election to the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats in the state would be held on April 11. Inspector General of Police Sunil Garg said that as on date more than five crore in unaccounted cash had been seized from different places in the state.
The Election Commission Sunday ordered poll authorities in Arunachal Pradesh to get an FIR lodged under a penal provision dealing with bribing voters, days after Rs 1.8 crore was recovered from two vehicles in the north eastern state. While one vehicle belonged to former MLA Dangi Perme, the other vehicle was registered in the name of a deputy secretary of state transport department. The money was recovered during raids by the Election Commission’s expenditure monitoring committee. In a letter to state chief electoral officer, the EC directed him to get an FIR registered under section 171 C and D of the Indian Penal Code dealing with bribing of voters.
Meanwhile, the EC appointed Special Expenditure Observer for Arunachal D D Goel on Monday underscored the importance of team work while checking, frisking people and vehicles during the election process. Addressing the election officials here, Goel urged all stakeholders to leave no stone unturned in order to ensure free and fair elections and were not impacted by money. He said that the Chief Electoral Officer must make a sincere effort to prepare a level playing field by systematically stemming the rampant use of money by political parties.
Goel asked the concerned officers to closely monitor the bank transactions to check financial malpractices and further emphasized on timely action on misuse of money during election saying that delay in taking actions would invariably defeat the purpose. Inspector General of Police Sunil Garg while participating in the deliberation, told Goel that even CMs cars and police vehicles were not spared while carrying out checking.
The IGP said that as on date more than five crore in unaccounted cash had been seized from different places in the state. Earlier, CEO Kaling Tayeng threw light on the election preparedness in the state and apprised Goel on the various steps that had been initiated to conduct free and fair simultaneous elections in the state on April 11 next. Tayeng said that the Income Tax Department was actively involved along with police in checking electoral malpractices.
