The desi versions of Jason Stathams are vrooming on the roads to transport money during this election season. Just like Statham in his ‘Transporter’ series of movies, they are being paid handsome packages for asking no questions and delivering the ‘goods’ punctually. Surprisingly, students too are getting involved in the game but those who get caught by the police are left to defend themselves.
Money transportation and distribution is turning into a huge business in north Coastal Andhra and the Godavari districts during the election season. Though confusion prevails over the candidates contesting in the elections, a good number of politicians and their aides have already started pre-poll preparations for their ‘campaigning’. They are transporting money for various expenditures ranging from cash distribution to liquor supply and purchase of gifts. The police caught goods and cash worth about ` 2 crore in north Coastal Andhra on Friday.
While money transportation is nothing new, these transporters are opting for innovative methods. As the police vigil is high on vehicles belonging to private travels, the transporters are opting for vehicles belonging to individuals. For instance, if you have a car and offer it for money transportation, the transporters would pay you anywhere between `5,000-10,000 per lakh cash being transported in the vehicle as an insurance amount. It is learnt that small vehicles which have easy removable interiors are on demand as the money can be concealed easily.
Similarly, the transporters or vehicle drivers are being paid anywhere between `3,000-`7,000 per lakh being transported. However, the transporters are left to defend themselves on getting caught by the police. If no proper receipt or reason is provided, the police are not only seizing the vehicle but also arresting the vehicle driver who will be sent for judicial remand based on the court orders. “It is not that you are abandoned completely but the employer will not come for your rescue until and after the elections are completed. Till then you are to defend yourself or produce proper receipts for the amount,” a youngster who has been hired to transport the cash by a former MLA told Express.
The recent seizure of about `30 lakh while being transporting on a two-wheeler seems to have triggered another idea for the contestants as they are roping in youngsters with two-wheelers to transport the money. To avoid police suspicion, the politicians are opting for youngsters particularly students and paying them pocket money ranging from `2,000 to `5,000 per lakh being transported on two-wheelers. However, the police say that they are not sparing anyone while conducting surprise checks along various routes.