Officials, police intensify vigil ahead of Telangana Assembly elections, seizing cash, liquor often

HYDERABAD: With the Election Commission of India (ECI) set to release notification and enforce the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the upcoming Assembly elections in Telangana, the Enforcement authorities have stepped up vigil and intercepting vehicles to seize unaccounted cash, illegal supply of liquor and gifts to bribe voters.

Earlier this week, the ECI team headed by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar accompanied by Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel visited Telangana for three days and carried out deliberations with various political parties, police, district collectors and other stakeholders for the smooth conduct of the elections.

During the interaction with Telangana police and district collectors, the ECI asked the police for weekly reports on law enforcement measures during elections and appointed an officer to monitor the movement of cash and liquor. Following the ECI orders, the police intensified their vigil and began intercepting vehicles in various parts of the city.

The police also appealed to the public to cooperate during the inspection of vehicles and luggage. The EC cautioned people to carry valid papers if they are carrying cash above Rs 50,000.

On October 4, Hyderabad police seized Rs 35 lakh during a surprise check of a vehicle in Jummerath Bazar. The suspected person disclosed his particulars as Rohit Giri (28) from Attapur.

During the investigation, the police came to know that Rohit Giri was carrying Rs 18 lakh cash and confiscated Rs 17.50 lakh from Hamidullah’s scrap store in Musheerabad. The seizure was carried out under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner South West Zone Kiran Khare and other officials. A case was registered under Crime No. 245/2023 U/Sec.102 Cr.P.C in Shah Inayat Gunj police station.

In another incident, IS Sadan police on October 6 arrested four persons as they were carrying unaccounted cash of Rs 20 lakh. During a vehicle check, the police intercepted a car at DMRL X Road and found Rs 20 lakh cash.

The four people were identified as Vittal, Nagaraju, Srikanth Reddy and Venkatesh. Among them, Nagaraju and Srikanth Reddy were identified as employees of 101 Acres real estate company and Venkatesh works as a driver with Uber. Vittal stated that he intended to purchase a plot through 101 Acres real estate company. Similarly, Jeedimetla police also seized Rs 10 lakh unaccounted cash from a person traveling in a car.

Earlier in October 2022, the Hyderabad police seized around Rs 5.5 crore hawala money from various locations in the city in two separate incidents. North Zone Task Force, along with Gandhi Nagar police inspected two cars near Marriott Hotel and recovered Rs 3.5 crore of unaccounted cash which was meant to influence the voters in the Munugode by-election. The police apprehended six persons in this connection and sent the seized cash to the Income Tax Department.

In another incident, the Hyderabad West Zone Task Force team seized Rs 2 crore of unaccounted cash in Banjara Hills police station limits and arrested four persons. In November 2020, the Hyderabad police also seized Rs 1 crore of unaccounted cash from two people near Begumpet flyover which was being transported to influence the voters in the Dubbaka by-election. One among them was identified as a relative of BJP MLA M Raghunandan Rao.