Rs.107 cr cash seized during polls in AP

Vijayawada: Statepolice department seized Rs 107 crore unaccounted cash and illicit liquor worth Rs 58.70 crore during the 2024 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state. In 2019 elections, Rs 41.80 crore cash was seized. Compared to the 2019, the police during the past few weeks seized more cash, more illicit liquor, precious metals, freebies and other materials.

A total of 150 check posts were established on the border of AP, including 31 integrated check posts manned by police, SEB (Special Enforcement Bureau), commercial taxes, transport and revenue employees.

Thirty-five border mobile patrolling parties and 15 temporary check posts have been established to curb all types of inducements, which yielded good results, said the DGP Harish Kumar Gupta in a press release on Wednesday.

During the 2019 elections, monetary value of precious metals (gold and silver) seized was Rs 27.17 crore. However, in the 2024 elections, the value metals seized is Rs 123.62 crore and 42 accused persons were arrested.

In 2024 general elections, 61,543 persons were arrested and liquor worth Rs 58.07 crore was seized. During the 2019 elections, illicit liquor (NDPL, DPL, FJ wash) worth Rs.8.07 crore was seized.

During the 2019 elections, monetary value of illicit drugs seized was Rs 5.04 crore. However, in the 2024 elections, the value of illicit drugs seized is Rs 35.61 crore. (Police- 7.16 crore & SEB 28.45 crore) and 1,730 accused persons were arrested.

During the 2019 elections, monetary value of Freebies/ other items seized was Rs. 10.63 Crs. However, in the 2024 elections, value of freebies/other items seized is Rs. 16.98 crore and 233 accused persons were arrested. A total of 3,466 vehicles were seized in all above cases.

DGP Harish Kumar Gupta said, “During general elections to Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly, the police department stands at the forefront in curbing all illegal activities, particularly those related to the inducement and gratification, such as unaccounted cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and freebies/other items.”

He said the department is particularly focused on curbing the flow of Non-Duty Paid Liquor (NDPL) from states like Odisha, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Puducchery. the DGP said during these elections, the police in-coordination with all other enforcement agencies worked hard and seized large amounts of inducements.

He said the police department is working closely and gathered intelligence inputs and employs various strategies tailored to different regions to prevent illegal movement of cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and freebies, other items including cross-border smuggling, storage, especially to stop the distribution of such items and these efforts yielded good results.