Gold Worth Rs 138 Crore Seized in Pune Ahead of Maharashtra Assembly Elections, Investigation On
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 25th October 2024: In a major operation by Pune Police, gold worth ₹138 crore was seized during a routine vehicle inspection as part of heightened security measures ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections. The gold was discovered early this morning at around 8 a.m. during checking on Pune-Satara Road in the jurisdiction of Sahakar Nagar Police Station.
The tempo, which belongs to a private logistics company, was intercepted by the police as part of ongoing checks being conducted by special flying squads across the city. Upon inspecting the vehicle, officers found multiple white sacks containing boxes, one of which revealed gold worth ₹138 crore. Two individuals, including the driver, were detained for questioning.
This seizure follows an earlier incident in which police found Rs five crore cash during another vehicle inspection near Khed Shivapur, sparking allegations from opposition leaders that the money was intended for election-related activities.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 2) Smartana Patil, who provided details on the operation, stated, “During the inspection, we found boxes containing valuable ornaments in the vehicle. The gold was being transported from Mumbai to Pune. We have informed both the Income Tax Department and the Election Commission to further investigate the matter.”
In light of the state elections, Pune Police have ramped up 24-hour surveillance and intensified vehicle inspections to ensure strict compliance with election-related regulations.
