Maharashtra elections 2024: It's raining cash in MMR; Rs 48+ crore seized in 3 weeks

Cash being seized from suspicious vehicles ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls. Pic/Hanif Patel

Amid seizures by multiple law-enforcement agencies, the police alone have confiscated more than R48 crore in cash in the Mumbai, Palghar, Navi Mumbai, Mira Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) and Thane police commissionerates since the Model Code of Conduct came into force on October 15. Mumbai city and suburban districts collectively accounted for R18 crore. Multiple booths have been installed in Mumbai and adjacent districts where the electoral officials as well as police personnel check vehicles suspected to be carrying cash and incriminating materials ahead of state Assembly polls.

The Maharashtra Police is said to have sent all the details to income tax officials for necessary legal action, according to a senior official from the police department. "No arrest has been made so far, but we informed the I-T officials after unaccounted cash was confiscated from certain individuals," said a crime branch official from the MBVV police commissionerate.

Cash being seized from suspicious vehicles ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls . Pics/Hanif Patel

A senior officer in Mumbai police told mid-day that they have confiscated Rs 18 crore in unaccounted cash from different individuals ever since the MCC came into force.

"Cash worth crores has been found in vans carrying money to ATMs of banks in the Nalasopara and Virar police station limits. R3.04 crore in cash was found in a cash van at Nalasopara West. A cash totalling Rs 2. 80 crore was found in a cash van within the Mandvi police station limits of Virar. Later, more cash worth R4 crore was found in the MBVV jurisdiction," said the official.

"As the rules regarding transporting cash prior to elections were not followed, the police seized the cash van and started an investigation," the official said. A van carrying ATM money worth Rs 3.5 crore has been taken into custody by the local Crime Branch team officials. According to police officials, the ATM van had been carrying R3.5 crore, but they failed to produce an exact account, raising the suspicions of the police. The police are now investigating whether the money was for ATMs or was to be used for election campaigns.

Further investigation is going on in the matter and the employees in the van are being interrogated.

Yesterday, over Rs 2 crore was seized from an ATM van in the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC). "At around 11 am, a trap was laid in the vegetable market area of Virar West and the ATM van was seized," said an official, requesting anonymity. "About R7.80 crore in cash had been seized in Nalasopara, Mandvi and Mira Road on Thursday," said the official.

The additional commissioner of the municipality, Ramesh Manale, said the people concerned did not have any official documents mentioning the amount seized. "The case has been handed over to the income tax department for further action," said an official.

"The action was taken by the team led by Benjamin Dabare and comprising Narendra Najri and police officer Anil Sonawane," said the official.

"On Thursday also R3.5 crore was found in Nalasopara itself while Rs 2.80 crore in Virarchamandvi and R1.47 crore was seized in Mira Road. Interestingly, all these unaccounted amounts were seized from banks' ATM vans," said an official.

In Thane, flying squads have seized R13.29 crore in cash and goods to ensure fair elections, including 2,85,932 litres of illegal liquor. Since the model code of conduct came into effect ahead of the Assembly elections, flying squads in Thane district have confiscated cash and goods worth R13.s29 crore. This includes R8.82 crore in cash, along with gold and silver jewellery, and illegal liquor.

Electoral officers stated that enforcement teams - comprising district nodal officers, constituency-based officers, flying squads, and surveillance teams - have been conducting vehicle checks. Over 65 checkpoints have been set up across the district, covering areas like Thane, Navi Mumbai, Mira-Bhayandar, and rural regions. These teams, which include 62 flying squads and 111 additional teams, are inspecting suspicious vehicles at various locations throughout the city. Meanwhile, a senior police official from Palghar police said more than R7 crore has been seized after the MCC came into force.

Suburban haul

About Rs 51.10 crore in cash and incriminating materials have been seized from October 15 from the Mumbai Suburban district till date. The seizures were made by the state police department, income tax department, state excise department, Central Goods and Service Tax (CGST), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Customs Department.

65
No. of checkpoints set up across Thane district

Rs 51.10 cr
Value of cash and incriminating materials seized in Mumbai Suburban district