Election-related seizures cross 1,100 crore in Rajasthan since March 1

Jaipur: The Chief Electoral Officer of Rajasthan, Praveen Gupta, said on Thursday that in view of the Lok Sabha elections in the state, various enforcement agencies have seized drugs, liquor, precious metals, freebies, and cash worth Rs 1,106 crore since March 1,

These include drugs worth Rs 202.25 crore, liquor worth more than Rs 47 crore, gold and silver valued at Rs 70 crore, and cash amounting to Rs 42 crore, Gupta said.

Besides, other materials worth more than Rs 743.97 crore and freebies worth about Rs 90 lakh have also been seized during the period under review by different agencies since March 1, the CEO said.

After the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct on March 16, the value of the items seized by the agencies on the instructions of the Election Commission has exceeded Rs 1,000 crore.

From March 1 till now, suspicious items and cash worth more than Rs 40 crore each have been seized in nine districts, out of which Sirohi tops with Rs 68.77 crore, followed by Jaipur (Rs 61.05 crore), and Jhunjhunu (Rs 52.46 crore).

Gupta said the state police, excise and narcotics departments, and the Income Tax department were prominent among the enforcement agencies taking action against illegal transportation of suspicious goods.