Chennai: The Flying Squad of the Election Commission (EC) seized 1,425 kg of gold approximately valued at around Rs 1,000 crore from a truck in Tamil Nadu on Saturday.
A substantial quantity of the precious metal was seized at the Vandalur-Mijinur Outer Ring Road near Kundrathur. EC Flying Squad officials intercepted a truck and a trailing car to seize to metal.
Upon inspection of the truck, the gold was discovered in boxes. Those inside the car claimed they possessed all necessary documents and that the gold was being transported to a firm in Sriperumbudur.
However, the EC Flying Squad officials were not convinced by the produced documents and the vehicles were subsequently taken to the Sriperumbudur revenue office. The report says Kancheepuram district revenue authorities and Income Tax officials are currently working to determine the exact value of the seized gold, initially estimated at around Rs 1,000 crore.
With the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 19, less than a week away in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the EC has increased its searches and intensified vehicle checks.