Nearly Rs 3,500 crore worth cash, liquor, drugs seized during LS polls

Election Commission seizure report for the 7th phase of general elections reveals that Rs 839.03 crore, liquor worth Rs 294.41 crore, drugs/narcotics worth Rs 1270.37 crore, precious metals worth Rs 986.76 crore and other items worth Rs 58.56 crore were seized.

New Delhi: Cash, drugs, liquor and precious metals worth Rs 3449.12 crore were seized by enforcement agencies since the Lok Sabha polls were announced on March 10, the Election Commission said on Sunday.

The seizure is nearly three times the figures of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the figures show.

In 2014, the overall seizure was Rs 1,206 crore, Director General (Election Expenditure) in the EC Dilip Sharma told a press conference.

Between March 10 and May 19, Rs 839.03 crore in cash, liquor worth Rs 294.41 crore, drugs worth Rs 1270.37 crore, precious metals, including gold, worth Rs 986.76 crore and "freebies", including sarees, wrist watches, aimed at inducing voters worth Rs 58.56 crore were seized, he said.

The total comes to Rs 3449.12 crore.