Bhubaneswar, March 31: Nuapada police today seized cash worth Rs 8 lakh from a vehicle that is suspected to belong to the local BJD legislator Rajendra Dholakia. The seizure was made on the Nuapada Khariar road.

Nuapada police chief Uma Shankar Dash said that the cash had been handed over to the officials of income tax department for further investigation.

“Our officials were conducting check after they received information about cash being carried in a car. After checking several vehicles, we seized the cash from a Maruti Swift. We also detained the vehicle’s occupant, who identified himself as Jay Dholakia,” said Dash.

Officials said that on interrogation the youth said that he was the nephew of local MLA Rajendra Dholakia. Besides the cash, there were banners and posters in the vehicle, which implied that the cash was carried for election purpose. However, he could not give a definite answer to the security forces about the purpose of carrying such huge cash.

“We informed the IT department officials, the expenditure observer and officials in the chief electoral officer (CEO) office for further action. The IT department will take whatever action necessary after proper investigation,” Dash said.

He also added that they were trying to find out the role of the legislator in this cash transportation along with to find out the owner of the vehicle. Officials in the CEO office said that there had been restriction on carrying cash more than Rs 50,000 by people related to political parties.

“The IT department will then enquire about the cash and to where it was transported for what purpose. If they find the motive behind the cash transportation was to woo voters, they will take action accordingly,’ said an official.

In another incident Jhirpani police in Rourkela seized two vehicles today carrying election materials along with liquor. In the afternoon, the police detained three persons on allegation of attacking a campaign vehicle of a particular political party.

Nodal Officer for election Naba Nayak said that returning officers, district election officers and observers were receiving several such complaints everyday regarding violation of model code of conduct.

“We send our officials immediately to the spots and verify the allegations. Wherever we find the allegations to be true, the officers take immediate actions,” said Nayak.