With the seizure of around `65 lakh on transit from three different places in Cuttack city on Wednesday, it is apparent that political parties and political leaders are making blatant use of money to undermine fair voting in Cuttack district on Thursday.
While one of the seized amounts has a clear link to one of the BJD candidates in the district, the income tax officials are investigating into another seizure of similar link, which however, could not be established on the day.
`65l seized by poll teams in Cuttack
The election surveillance team seized an amount of Rs 59.50 lakh from a vehicle of a city-based businessman at Bajrakabati Road and detained the vehicle and its owner Dilip Karmakar of Nayasarak area of the city. Although Karmakar, a businessman dealing with home appliances claim that he has no links to any party or leader and the amount was his own, the officials are not convinced with his claims as he was not able to prove the source of the money.
Similarly, another team seized an amount of Rs 4.5 lakh transported in a vehicle on Ring Road near Belle View area under the lalbagh police station. While the identity of the person carrying the amount could not be ascertained, sources said some leaflets and pushing cards of a BJD candidate were also found from inside the vehicle.
On the other hand, it was clearly established that an amount of Rs 73, 500 seized from another vehicle in Markat Nagar area belonged to BJD candidate Pramod Kumar Mallick of Niali Assembly constituency of the district. A BJD worker and Panchayat Samiti member of Kulashree GP under Niali segment was carrying the amount, sources said.