Pune cops seize tempo with Rs 138 crore gold jewellery, probe started

Pune (The Uttam Hindu): In another seizure, the Pune Police swooped on a tempo and recovered gold ornaments worth a staggering Rs 138 crore it was ferrying, a top official said here on Friday. An official of the Sahakar Nagar Police said that at a check-post near the Padmavati complex, they noticed a suspicious-looking tempo, intercepted it and subjected it to a thorough search. Rummaging through the vehicle, the police came across several white bags in which there were boxes concealed and they were opened to reveal the large quantity of glittering gold jewellery, Deputy Commissioner of Police (II) (Mrs) Smartana Patil told media persons.

She said that they questioned the driver on the consignment in the tempo (MH-02-ER-8112), he said that it had originated from Mumbai and was bound for Pune, though the papers found with him are purportedly in order. “We checked and then informed the Income Tax Department(ITD) on this seizure, which is not making full investigations, why the jewellery was brought here, for whom it is intended, etc,” said Smartana Patil. The DCP added that they stumbled upon the high-value parcels as part of the ongoing stringent checks on random vehicles that may be carrying cash or other valuables that could be used to lure voters in the November 20 Assembly elections.

Today’s is the second major seizure in five days after October 21 when a suspicious Innova SUV was seized with Rs Five Crore cash in it near the Khed-Shivapur toll plaza on the Pune Satara Highway, bound from Mumbai to Kolhapur, and the issue is under investigation. Smaller amounts of cash have also been in other similar incidents around the state and all are being probed by the local police, ITD and Election Commission of India, sending jitters in political circles.