Around Rs.8.77 crore cash was seized from the house and office of private financier Babulal Parashuram Puria here on Saturday.
Deputy Commissioner Amlan Aditya Biswas said the raids were conducted based on a complaint that Lok Sabha candidates were using the hawala network to influence voters. At a press conference, he said apart from the cash, Kisan Vikas Patra bonds worth Rs 4.3 crore, passbooks, savings certificates worth `5 crore and land records of over 100 acres were seized.
“We had received definite clues that some private financier in the city had arranged Rs 50,000 for each polling booth and the money was stocked up at his house,” he said.
He added that the police have found clues that Babulal is linked to the BJP but refused to confirm anything as the investigation is under progress.
BJP’s Bellary candidate B Sriramulu denied allegations that the money was linked to his party. “I came to know about it through the media and authorities have done a good job --seizing the money.”
The raids, jointly conducted by officials of the district administration, Income Tax Department and Election Commission, began late on Friday and continued till Saturday morning. At Babulal’s house, officials found a cheque for `3.5 lakh in the name of BSR Congress’ Murali Krishna, who was defeated in the last Assembly elections.
Superintendent of Police Chetan Singh Rathore said Babulal had initially refused to allow the police into his house and demanded a search warrant. No one has been taken into custody but a case has been filed. The officials have taken control of a godown belonging to Babulal.
In another raid, at a businessman’s house in Hospet, Rs 1 crore cash was seized.