BHUBANESWAR: Two natives of Uttar Pradesh with Rs 57.61 lakh cash were detained by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Biju Patnaik International Airport here on Tuesday.
The duo - Anshul Gupta and Farul Gupta of Firozabad - were to board the 7.15 pm Air India (AI) flight for Delhi, when their hand baggage was screened and CISF personnel observed a bunch of papers inside it.
On suspicion, the CISF personnel conducted its physical check and found cash. Another round of intensive check was carried out in front of two AI officials and Rs 43.94 lakh cash was seized from their hand baggage and Rs 13.67 lakh cash from their check-in baggage.
The passengers told the CISF personnel that they are distributors of bangles and they had come to the city to collect payments.
Anshul and Farul are relatives and they have a house at Cuttack-Puri Road. However, the information shared by them is subject to verification, said a CISF personnel.
The duo failed to give any documentary evidence or satisfactory explanation for carrying such a huge amount of cash, he added.
CISF personnel then handed over the two persons and the cash to Income Tax (IT) department for further probe. IT officials said bank statements of Anshul and Farul will be verified soon as part of the investigation.
During elections, anyone carrying over Rs 10 lakh cash is reported to the IT department. The seizure of huge amount of cash holds importance as bypolls were held in Tirtol and Balasore Sadar constituencies on Tuesday.
Sources said a passenger can carry a maximum of Rs 10 lakh on usual days and Rs 5 lakh during elections.