Ranchi, Oct 18 (IANS): Illegal goods, including cash worth Rs 1.25 crore, have been seized within a span of 72 hours after the announcement of Assembly elections' dates in Jharkhand. This information was shared during a press conference addressed by Jharkhand's Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Neha Arora.
She stated that to ensure clean and fear-free elections, police and other enforcement agencies are carrying out continuous operations.
The state police have as of now seized goods and cash valued at Rs 64 lakh, while the Commercial Tax Department and the Excise Department have seized goods worth Rs 28 lakh and Rs 24 lakh, respectively.
This includes drugs valued at Rs 18 lakh.
Jharkhand's Chief Electoral Officer, K. Ravi Kumar, also held a review meeting with senior officials from all enforcement agencies and police departments.
He said that during the assembly elections in Jharkhand, attempts might be made to lure voters not only with cash but also with other inducements.
The possibility of illegal alcohol and drug trafficking in border areas is a major cause of concern for the officials of administration and police department. To monitor the influx of these illegal materials, intensive campaigns with CCTV surveillance will be carried out at various check posts in all bordering states and districts.
The CEO instructed RBI officials to monitor all suspicious transactions and bulk transactions. He emphatically said that any suspicious transactions should be reported to headquarters, and bank accounts should be frozen.
According to the information, the administration has issued instructions to officials from the Traffic, Forest Department, Airport Authority, Prohibition and Excise Department, ED, Customs, and Income Tax Departments to keep a close monitor and watch over such activities.
The Chief Electoral Officer held a separate meeting with senior police officers regarding law and order.
He directed all police officers to execute pending bailable and non-bailable warrants in their jurisdictions through advertisements and seizures.
For election-related tasks, the state police nodal officer, A.V. Homkar, instructed the collection of licensed weapons and prompt action against violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).