Poll officials seize Rs 5.11cr from atop bus in Tiruchi, money meant to bribe voters

V Mayilvaganan, TNN | Apr 5, 2011, 02.45pm IST

TIRUCHY: In a major catch, officials of the Election Commission seized Rs 5.11 crore stashed atop a private bus stationed in a residential area in Tiruchy limits in central Tamil Nadu in the wee hours of Tuesday.

This could perhaps be the EC's biggest seizure yet in Tamil Nadu which is going to polls on April 13. The bus belonged to Udhayakumar, said to be a relative of state transport minister K N Nehru.

Revenue divisional officer and returning officer S Sangeetha said the wads of currency were covered with a tarpaulin sheet atop the bus.

''On a tip-off we conducted a search in the bus and found Rs 5.11 crore atop the bus. We have handed over the cash to the income tax department,'' she said. The driver of the bus fled the spot the moment the officials reached Ponnagar, where the bus was stationed close to Udhayakumar's residence.

Sangeetha said that enquiries were on to ascertain the source of the cash and the motive to stash it atop the bus. 

The IT sleuths meanwhile raided the house of Udhayakumar. EC officials suspect that the cash was hidden atop the bus to be distributed to voters as bribe. 

Courtesy:The times of  India