Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, a joint operation by SWAT, Ecotech 1, and Dadri teams resulted in a significant drug bust by the Noida Police under the leadership of DCP 3. More than 25 kilograms of meth and raw material were seized. The estimated worth exceeds 100 crore rupees. Four individuals were apprehended in connection with the operation.
Seizures of over Rs 100 crore daily since March 1
The Election Commission (EC) revealed on Monday that enforcement agencies had confiscated assets worth Rs 4,658.16 crore, including narcotics, alcohol, cash, precious metals, and other incentives aimed at voters. These seizures, averaging Rs 100 crore per day over the past 45 days since March 1, mark a significant surge compared to the Rs 3,475 crore seized during the entire 2019 Lok Sabha (LS) election cycle.
Record-breaking seizures
• Narcotics Dominate: Data from the EC indicates that narcotics account for a staggering 45% of the total seizures, amounting to Rs 2,068.85 crore. This marks a substantial increase from the Rs 1,279.9 crore seized in 2019.
• Focus on Drug Seizures: The EC highlighted a substantial focus on drug seizures, accounting for 75% of total seizures in January and February, amounting to over Rs 7,502 crore.
• Cash and Liquor Seizures: Enforcement agencies have confiscated Rs 395.5 crore in cash and over 350 million litres of liquor, worth Rs 489.3 crore, indicating a significant crackdown on illicit inducements.
Statewise breakdown
• Rajasthan Leads: Rajasthan tops the list with seizures totaling Rs 778.5 crore, followed by Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Punjab.
Stringent actions by EC
• Strict Monitoring: The EC emphasized its commitment to conducting elections free of inducements and electoral malpractices, announcing the suspension of a flying squad team leader for negligence and selective checking of a prominent leader’s convoy.
• Actions Against Violators: The EC has taken strict action against 106 government servants found assisting politicians in campaigning, along with monitoring non-scheduled aircraft and helicopters used during the election period.
Multi-agency collaboration
• Assisting Agencies: Various agencies, including the income-tax department, state police, Reserve Bank of India, Enforcement Directorate, and others, are assisting the EC in ensuring a fair and inducement-free electoral process.
The EC’s vigilant efforts underscore its commitment to upholding the integrity of the electoral process amidst heightened scrutiny and evolving challenges.
