Pre-Poll Crackdown: Karnataka Police Seize Rs 5.6 Crore Cash, 106 Kg Jewellery in Bellary

GG News Bureau
Bellary, 8th April. Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Karnataka Police have confiscated Rs 5.6 crore of unaccounted cash along with a substantial quantity of gold and silver jewellery worth Rs 2 crore in Bellary.

The operation, based on a tip-off, targeted the residence of Naresh Soni, the owner of Hema Jewellers, located in Kambali Bazaar. The total value of the seized items from Soni’s home amounted to Rs 7.6 crore, according to police sources.

#WATCH | Ballari, Karnataka: Police seized Rs 5.60 crore in cash, 3 kg of gold, and 103 kg of silver jewellery with 68 silver bars. One person has been taken into custody and is being interrogated. Further details awaited: Police pic.twitter.com/PcT4rYtxMm

— ANI (@ANI) April 8, 2024

Alongside the cash, authorities confiscated 3 kg of gold, 103 kg of silver jewellery, and 68 silver bars. Naresh Soni has been taken into custody for questioning, with police suspecting the seized assets to be linked to Hawala transactions.

An FIR under section 98 of the Karnataka Police Act has been filed, and the investigation findings will be forwarded to the Income Tax department for further scrutiny.

This seizure comes on the heels of recent crackdowns by authorities ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Last week, the Karnataka Excise department seized liquor worth Rs 98.52 crore from Nanjangud in Mysuru district, which falls under the Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency.

Additionally, the Income Tax department and the Static Surveillance Team (SST) seized cash amounting to Rs 3.53 crore.

The Election Commission (EC) reported that 1.22 crore litres of beer, valued at Rs 98.52 crore, was confiscated from Nanjangud. The I-T department seized Rs 2.20 crore from Bengaluru North parliamentary constituency, while the SST intercepted Rs 35 lakh in Gulbarga and Rs 45 lakh in Udupi-Chikkamagaluru.

With the Lok Sabha elections scheduled in two phases in Karnataka on April 26 and May 7, authorities are intensifying efforts to curb illicit activities and ensure fair electoral practices