INDIA.West Bengal: Police in West Bengal’s Howrah district today seized cash worth rupees 50 crores from a car in which three Congress MLAs from Jharkhand were travelling. Banknote counting has been switched on, police officials said.
The three MLAs Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachhap and Naman Bixal Kongari have been detained for questioning and banknote counting machines will have to be used to determine the exact amount, police said.
As per sources, the vehicle belonged to Jamtara MLA Irfan Ansari, who represents Congress. No response has yet come from them or Congress. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the ruling party of Jharkhand has also kept quiet on the fiasco.
All three MLAs were detained by the Howrah city police. Kachhap is a Congress MLA from the Khijri Assembly constituency and Bixal represents the Kongari Assembly constituency in the neighbouring state.
Jharkhand shares its borders with West Bengal and Jamtara is one of the nearest constituencies of the state. The state is ruled by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Congress alliance.
Recently, the ED seized cash worth ₹50 crore in the West Bengal School Service Commission recruitment scam from the assets of former minister’s adviser and Trinamool Congress leader Partha Chatterjee.
Regarding the seizure of cash, police said the SUV was stopped near Panchla village and the money was found in bags. “We had concrete information that huge amounts were being transported,” said Swati Bhangalia, Senior Inspector of Police in Howrah Rural, which borders Kolkata.
“We have settled the details and are asking the three MLAs from Jharkhand for the details and proof of the cash. Calculation of the amount and other legal formalities will follow,” Bhangalia added.
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