Assembly Polls 2017: Rs 80cr cash, 3 lakh litres liquor seized in 5 states

Over Rs 80.44 crore of cash, 3 lakh litres of liquor and narcotics valued at Rs 6.55 crore have been seized, with the maximum from Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, by EC-appointed surveillance and expenditure monitoring teams in the five poll-bound states.

As per official data compiled till yesterday, UP has witnessed the maximum seizure of Rs 71.32 crore (Rs 31.65 lakh in old notes) followed by Rs 8.81 crore from Punjab, Rs 25.54 lakh in Uttarakhand and Rs 6.95 lakh in Manipur.

In other illegal inducements suspected to be used to lure voters in these states, a whopping 2.71 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs 7.71 crore has been seized by Election Commission appointed police and state excise teams in UP followed by 1,1809 litres spirits worth Rs 20.04 lakh seized in Punjab and 6,284 litres worth Rs 16.53 lakh on Uttarakhand.

Drug seizures by the anti-narcotics agencies and police teams was seen maximum in Punjab as the haul valued at Rs 5.54 crore, followed by Rs 68.14 lakh seized in UP, Rs 16.72 lakh in Goa, Rs 9.66 lakh in Uttarakhand and Rs 7 lakh in Manipur.

Officials said a total of "Rs 80.44 crore in cash,about 3 lakh litres of liquor and an estimated Rs 6.55 crore worth narcotics have been seized in the five poll-bound states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur, till data recorded upto January 18."

The EC has appointed about 200 election expenditure observers apart from other central observers to keep a check on black money and illegal inducements used to bribe voters at the hustings in these states.

The Assembly elections in these five states will be held between February 4 and March 8.

Counting of votes for all states will take place on March 11.