Cash seized in bypoll-bound constituency of Meghalaya

A team of Election Commission officials has seized Rs 5 lakh in cash from a vehicle in bypoll-bound Ampati constituency, the second such instance in 12 days, a senior police officer said.

The bypoll, scheduled on May 28, was necessitated after Mukul Sangma, the leader of the opposition in the Meghalaya Assembly, vacated the seat.

Sangma, who contested the February 27 Assembly polls from two seats, chose to retain Songsak constituency.

"A vehicle was intercepted yesterday near Monabari village of the constituency, close to Assam border, by a team of flying squad and surveillance officers and cash amounting to Rs 4.95 lakh was seized from its occupant, the additional deputy commissioner of South West Garo Hills district, DD Shira, said.

The man in the vehicle identified himself as Abu Jiyat Shah and said the money was meant for business purposes, Shira said.

The model code of conduct that came into force in the bypoll-bound constituency on April 28 does not allow anybody to carry more than Rs 50,000 in cash, he added.

On May 5, a sum of Rs 4,29,800 was confiscated from a man, who claimed to be a Village Employment Council secretary. He said that the cash was meant for distribution among MGNREGS workers.