The West Bengal Police seized Rs 1.13 lakh from the vehicle of BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh late Thursday night. Bharati Ghosh is contesting from Ghatal constituency of the state where polling is scheduled to be held on May 12 in the sixth phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The former IPS officer was travelling in a car that was intercepted at Mangal Bar in Pingla area in West Midnapore district around 11 pm on Thursday, according to reports.
“Cash amounting to Rs 1,13,815 was seized from Ghosh’s vehicle. We had information that Ghosh was carrying the cash. There were also other people in her vehicle. She could not explain why she was carrying the money. We are looking into the matter,” a police officer told PTI.
Ghosh was reportedly detained for almost three hours as the police questioned her in connection with the seizure.
Trinamool Congress leaders alleged that Ghosh was carrying the money to “influence voters”.
Ghosh, however, said the amount was for her personal expenses.
“I was carrying only Rs 50,000 on me. I had my convenor and driver 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 I have a bank statement detailing the date and the branch from which the amount was withdrawn,” Ghosh told PTI.
“The money was for meeting my personal expenses and not what the TMC is alleging. And the amount I had in my bag did not violate any norm of the Election Commission’s model code of conduct,” she added.
Ghosh is contesting against Bengali film star Deepak Adhikary, popularly known as Dev, who has been fielded by the Trinamool Congress.