Police seize over Rs 7 crore in cash and gold during a raid in Karnataka ahead of LS polls.
Bellary: Acting on a tip-off, police raided a jewellery shop owner’s home in Bellary district of Karnataka and recovered unaccounted cash and valuables worth over Rs 7 crore.
The raid was conducted at Naresh Soni’s residence in Kambali Bazaar on Sunday, a week before the Lok Sabha elections. Police seized Rs 5.60 crore in cash, 3 kg of gold, and over 100 kg of silver jewellery, including silver bars.
Soni has been taken into custody for questioning. Preliminary investigations indicate the recovery could be linked to Hawala operations. An FIR has been lodged under relevant sections.
In another major haul last week, the excise department seized over 1.22 crore litres of beer worth Rs 98.52 crore from Nanjangud in Mysuru district. The income Tax department also recovered Rs 2.20 crore and Rs 35 lakh from the Bengaluru and Gulbarga constituencies, respectively.
Meanwhile, police sources said evidence gathered during interrogation would be handed over to the I-T department for further probe into the Bellary case. These actions are part of stringent monitoring ahead of the high-stakes general elections.
Karnataka will vote in two phases on April 23 and May 19 in the Lok Sabha polls. Seizures have raised suspicions about using unaccounted funds to influence electorates.
