Bharati Ghosh detained after Rs 1 lakh seized from her car

An EC official said any individual, be it a candidate or a party leader, is permitted to carry Rs 50,000 cash during elections. “If any person carries more than Rs 50,000, he/she will have to declare the source and utilisation of the money. If not, the cash is seized and sent to the income tax department…,” the official said.

West Midnapore District Magistrate P Mohangandhi said, “There was a specific complaint on this. We have submitted a report to the EC.”

Ghosh, however, denied the allegations and also claimed that she was only carrying Rs 50, 000. “I was carrying only Rs 50,000. My convenor and driver were in my car. My convenor had around Rs 49,000 with him and the driver was carrying Rs 13,000. I have a bank statement detailing the date and the branch from which the amount was withdrawn. I did not sign on seizure list as I did not feel it was right,” she told mediapersons.

“The money was for meeting my personal expenses and the TMC’s allegations are false. And the amount I had in my bag did not violate any norm of the Election Commission’s model code of conduct,” Ghosh claimed.

Sources said the police registered a suo motu case against Ghosh under IPC section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).

West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, “I don’t know what has happened. But during elections, there are some norms regarding carrying cash. The law will take its course,” Ghosh said.

TMC’s West Midnapore district president Ajit Maity demanded that Ghosh’s candidature be cancelled. “We have been saying for a long time that she (Ghosh) is distributing cash to voters. People informed the police and that’s why she was caught. Her nomination should be cancelled,” said Maity