After Rs 53 L cash haul from Thane flat, IT, EC begin probe

The Income Tax department and the Election Commission on Saturday began a probe into recovery of Rs 53 lakh cash from a flat reportedly belonging to the friend of a tainted MLA in Thane district on the penultimate day of the culmination of the campaign for the Maharashtra assembly polls, an official said on Saturday.

NCP MLA from Mohol Ramesh Kadam, arrested for alleged irregularities of Rs 150 crore in state-run Annabhau Sathe Development Corporation (ASDC), had gone without authorisation to the flat along with his police escort team late Friday evening.

On Friday, on his way back to the Thane Central Jail after a medical check up at Mumbai's JJ Hospital, Kadam told the police party escorting him to take him to the Ghodbunder Road flat belonging to his friend Raju Khare.

On a specific tip off, a team of Thane Police raided the flat, where they found Kadam, Khare, as well as the escort team, along with Rs 53.46 lakh in cash, following which a probe was started, an official said.

On Saturday, additional chief electoral officer Dilip Shinde said, "Thane police are investigating the case. The police and EC squad have sealed the flat. The IT department has been informed as well."