Thiruvananthapuram: A total of roughly Rs140 million has been seized from various raids conducted across Kerala, as the Election Commission stepped up its raids on the illegal use of cash in the run-up to the assembly elections.
Cash being transported illegally has been unearthed from various parts of the state. Some of the cash has been unearthed through raids on buses and cars.
Last week, two persons were detained by an Election Commission team when they were travelling from Tamil Nadu to Kerala in a bus, carrying Rs13.4 million with them. The two were identified to be based in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
On Tuesday, Rs5.8 million was seized in two raids, in the northern districts of Wayanad and Kozhikode.
A special squad seized Rs5.5 million from two men in Wayanad who were travelling to Malappuram. In another raid at Perambra in Kozhikode district, Rs300,000 was seized.
This assembly election pits the ruling United Democratic Front against the Communist Party of India Marxist-led Left Democratic Front. Early survey results have shown that the LDF has a clear edge, though the contest is widely perceived to be close this time.
For that reason, there is also suspicion that cash may be used in larger measure this time to woo voters. Kerala goes to the polls on May 16.
