In the fifth-highest district in the state of Ludhiana, election seizures total around Rs 18 cr

The Ludhiana area has seen the seizure of about Rs 18 crore worth of unlawful and forbidden material during the current model code of conduct (MCC) for the general election to the 18th Lok Sabha, according to official data.

Since the Election Commission of India (ECI) enforced the MCC in conjunction with the announcement of the nation’s election timetable on March 16, recoveries have been made.

In the first month of the election code, Ludhiana had the fifth-highest number of seizures in the state, with recoveries totaling an incredible Rs 244 crore.

Unaccounted cash, alcohol, drugs, narcotics, precious metals, freebies, and other goods that were against MCC norms were among the items recovered.

CEO Sibin C. informed The Tribune on Thursday that a number of state and federal agencies had seized money and other prohibited items valued at Rs 243.99 crore. These seizures included recoveries by the agencies totaling Rs 242.01 crore and additional seizures worth Rs 198.28 lakh made while people and vehicles were being stopped at special election nakas (check posts) set up throughout the state between March 16 and April 17.

He claimed that with seizures of Rs 311 crore made between March 1 and April 15, Punjab has placed sixth in the nation.

According to Sibin, the state police made the largest seizure, totaling Rs 158.75 crore. The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 20.42 crore, the state Excise Department recovered 6.79 crore, the state Goods and Services Tax/Commercial Tax Department recovered 5 crore, the Income Tax Department recovered 3.62 crore, the Customs Department recovered 2.74 crore, and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) recovered 1.67 crore. Other agencies in various parts of the state made seizures totaling Rs 44.88 crore.

Amritsar led the state in district-wise seizures, with recoveries valued at Rs 56.01 crore, followed by Tarn Taran at Rs 45.24 crore, Ferozepur at Rs 34.78 crore, and Fazilka at Rs 33.38 crore.

Gurdaspur recorded recoveries of Rs 7.59 crore, Kapurthala Rs 5.17 crore, Jalandhar 15.23 crore, Hoshiarpur Rs 4.63 crore, Nawanshahr Rs 73 lakh, Ropar Rs 1.32 crore, Mohali Rs 1.45 crore, Fatehgarh Sahib Rs 53 lakh, Moga Rs 70 lakh, Muktsar Rs 73 lakh, Faridkot Rs 55 lakh, Bathinda Rs 1.81 crore, Mansa Rs 88 lakh, Sangrur Rs 10.28 crore, Barnala Rs 2.2 crore, Patiala Rs 1.37 crore, Pathankot Rs 49 lakh, and Malerkotla district found cash and other materials worth Rs 69 lakh in the previous month.

The CEO declared, “Tight security arrangements have been made to conduct the elections in a free, fair, transparent, and peaceful manner in the state.” She also mentioned that 48 high-tech CCTV cameras were monitoring interstate checkpoints around-the-clock to prevent illegal smuggling of drugs, alcohol, cash, and other goods throughout the state.

He said that throughout all 117 Assembly segments of the state, flying squad teams were keeping an eye on 351 cars outfitted with sophisticated closed-circuit television cameras (three cars for each Assembly seat). “They are under constant observation via the district control room, and the state control room is continuously monitoring the live feed,” Sibin said.

The CEO said that in order to guarantee the free, fair, transparent, peaceful, and orderly conduct of the election process, state police and civil authorities have been instructed to rigorously enforce the MCC.

“To check the inflow of arms and narcotics from across the border, inter-state coordination and vigilance by the BSF and other agencies concerned in the border districts has been strengthened,” he said.

Giving an account of the seizure data item by item, he said that the Punjab Police had taken into custody cash valued at Rs 2.49 crore, liquor valued at Rs 7.06 crore, narcotics valued at Rs 148.21 crore, jewels valued at Rs 25.6 lakh, and other goods valued at Rs 74.2 lakh.

While the BSF confiscated drugs and narcotics worth Rs 19.66 crore, valuables worth Rs 40 lakh, and cash worth Rs 36 lakh, the state excise department had seized booze worth Rs 6.77 crore and drugs worth Rs 2 lakh.

In addition, many other agencies had confiscated narcotics valued at Rs 45.92 crore, cash worth Rs 3.15 crore, jewelry worth Rs 8.84 crore, and other assets worth Rs 6 lakh.

Dedicated to conducting impartial, free polls: CEO

The whole civil and police administration is dedicated to holding the state’s general election in a free, fair, peaceful, transparent, and seamless way in accordance with the Election Commission’s directives. At all costs, there will be no MCC infractions and no smuggling of illicit or forbidden materials, according to Punjab CEO Sibin C.