Kamal Ghorui
Jalpaiguri: Within 48 hours of the Election Commission (EC) declaring Bengal polls, Alipurduar police seized Rs 2.75 lakh cash from a couple travelling in an Assam registered car on Wednesday afternoon.According to norms, individuals are not allowed to carry cash exceeding Rs 50,000 once elections are declared.Biken Ishwarari and his wife had travelled to Alipurduar on Tuesday from Rumi Khata in Assam’s Chirang district in an SUV. They then checked into a hotel on Buxa Feeder Road in the town.On Wednesday afternoon, as they were preparing to depart, a team of administrative officials and police from Alipurduar PS, acting on a tip-off, intercepted their vehicle and confiscated Rs 2.75 lakh in Rs 500 and Rs 100 denominations, hidden throughout the car. The couple was detained for investigation.Preliminary police inquiries showed Ishwarari is a ration dealer and also owns a betelnut plantation. During interrogation, he told cops he had come to Alipurduar on a short tour and wanted to spend the money on shopping.Alipurduar police are currently finishing up paperwork. The couple was released in accordance with law and served a legal notice requiring them to disclose the source of the funds and their purpose in carrying it to Bengal.“Assam is also heading to polls on April 9. Under the model code, Ishwarari was not supposed to leave Assam with such a large amount of cash. For shopping, he could have used cards or UPI,” an official said.
