As many as four people were arrested after unaccounted cash worth Rs 5 crore was seized from a car at Khed Shivapur toll plaza in Pune district on Monday evening amid the model code of conduct in force in Maharashtra for the November 20 Assembly polls.
The unaccounted cash was seized near Khed-Shivapur plaza on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway during a police nakabandi (on-road checking). "A car travelling towards Satara was intercepted during nakabandi. A search led to the seizure of Rs 5 crore cash from the vehicle's four occupants," the Pune rural police official said.
Four people who were travelling in the car including the driver were questioned, following which they were arrested, the official added. The seized cash has been handed over to officials of the Income Tax Department for further probe.
Among those in the vehicle was Shahaji Nalawade, believed to be an associate of Shiv Sena MLA Shahajibapu Patil, according to a report by India Today.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut in a post on X on Monday night claimed "Rs 15 crore" has been seized from a car belonging to an MLA from the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Contrary to Raut's claim, police said Rs 5 crore was seized from the car instead of Rs 15. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also claimed that Rs 75 crore had been promised to each candidate of Shinde faction for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly poll and the seized amount was only the first instalment of the promised money.
Polls for the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will be held on November 20, and votes will be counted on November 23. The term of the current assembly will end on November 26.