Election Commission Seizes Rs 1.25 Cr Cash from Car in Meghalaya CM's Convoy

Informing that the cash seizure was reported to the income tax department, which will now look into the matter and take appropriate action, based on standard operating procedure, Longding Superintendent of Police (SP) Dekio Gumja told reporters that the EC teams recovered the cash from the car at the Kanubari check gate on Thursday night.

The chief minister of Meghalaya was traveling in a convoy to Longding to speak at an election rally for his party when he was followed by a car that belonged to one Harshvardhan Singh, executive director of a private construction company, he said.

He also claimed, “The vehicle was not part of the CM's convoy but was following the motorcade.”

The construction company, whose projects are being undertaken at three locations in the area—Sonari Medical College in Assam, Brigade Headquarters at Khonsa in Arunachal's Tirap district, and Assam Police Battalion in Sivasagar, claimed that the money was taken to pay labourers. The company also completed numerous projects in Meghalaya, such as building the Legislative Assembly.

Along with the police, the flying squads and static surveillance teams on Thursday also confiscated Rs 22.20 lakh in the state capital and another Rs 16.10 lakh during vehicle checks at Seppa in the East Kameng district, officer on special duty (OSD) to the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said.

The total amount of cash seized since the model code of conduct (MCC) went into effect increased to over Rs 5.48 crore with Thursday's seizure, he said. The total amount of cash and the monetary value of other seized items, such as alcohol, drugs, precious metals, and freebies, stood at over Rs 14.05 crore.