To avoid any kind of legal proceedings, one should not carry cash exceeding Rs 50,000 or bullion over one kilogram without proper supporting documents otherwise they might face legal action under the guidelines, issued by Election Commission, to check misuse of money or any other metal during elections.
Giving the warning here on Monday, Director General (Investment), Shree Krishna Saini, said that to strictly comply with the guidelines of Model Code of Conduct released by EC, they have issued certain instructions to the members of law enforcing agencies regarding transaction of cash and bullion.
“We asked the members of police force as well as administrative officers that anyone held with Rs 10 lakh or more in cash or one kg of bullion like gold, silver etc they should be immediately passed to us for recovery so we should proceed with actions under the prevalent laws of the IT Act”, disclosed Saini. He added that the district authorities have been also empowered to seize the cash or metal.
Actionclaimed that directions have been issued to the local administrative officers that in case the Static Surveillance Teams (SST) trapped anyone carrying Rs 50,000 or more or 1 Kg of bullion than they should check the papers which verify the purpose of money or metal transaction. He said that in case the recovery exceeds Rs 10 lakh or more than the SST should passed on the information to them so that they could proceed with the action under the IT Act. He said that the district authorities have been also empowered to seize the cash or metal till they proceed with further action.
Saini further claimed that besides the informations they get from SST teams, they also opened a round the clock toll free number (18001808880) on which any citizen or political parties leaders etc could pass on the inputs if they
had any information regarding transaction of cash which violates model code of conduct. He said that they already formed a main control room here at lucknow office while they also formed half a dozen area head-quarters along with 42 sub-area head-quarters so they could promptly initiate action on any complaint coming from any corner of the State.
Saini said that to avoid any kind of problem to the citizens or employees of any firm, they also requested that anyone carrying more than Rs 50,000 in cash or more than one Kg of bullion must accompany his proper ID-Card, Address proof, proof of withdrawl of money or metal, Collection through any source, as well as purpose of money or bullion transaction. He claimed that they also directed the officers that no one should be harassed in the name of checking or verification of cash or metal transaction but the entire process should be made in dignified way and as per the conditioned mentioned in the law books.
Sources said that besides acting on information passed on through SST or which has been provided on Toll Free
Number, the sleuths of the intelligence wing of the IT Department would also remain vigilant on airports, railway stations, bullion markets as well as other important gathering points like star hotels, guest houses etc. Over hundred of teams were also formed so raids could be conducted immediately in case of inputs poured in from through any source.