Over Rs.3 crore cash, valuables seized in Bengal

Kolkata, April 2 (IANS) The Income Tax (IT) department has seized over Rs.3 crore in unaccounted cash and valuables, including gold, in West Bengal, an Election Commission (EC) official said Wednesday.

Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Gupta told reporters here that over Rs.3.8 crore has been seized since the March 5 announcement of the Lok Sabha election.

"The IT department has seized Rs.2.94 crore in unaccounted cash and Rs.92 lakh-worth of valuables, including gold," he said.

The excise department confiscated 1,000 litres of illegal spirit from the Howrah district Tuesday and arrested two people.

Meanwhile, of the six political parties which have lodged complaints with the EC till Tuesday, grievances lodged by CPI-M top the list.

The CPI-M has lodged 129 complaints so far, of which action-taken report has been sent in 62 cases.

For the Trinamool Congress (TMC), action has been taken in seven of the total 10 complaints. Meanwhile, 20 complaints have been disposed (action-taken report submitted) for the 29 complaints filed by the Congress.

The EC received three complaints from CPI, of which two have been taken care of. The Forward Bloc lodged two complaints and action-taken report was sent in both.

For the BJP, the complaints stand at seven. In three of those, action-taken report has been forwarded.