Three Jharkhand Congress MLAs were intercepted in West Bengal's Howrah district with huge amount of cash in their car, police said.
Superintendent of Police Swati Bhangalia said the three Congress legislators -- Jamtara MLA Irfan Ansari, Khijri MLA Rajesh Kachhap and Kolebira MLA Naman Bixal – were apprehended with huge amounts of cash.
The officer said acting on specific input, the vehicle in which the lawmakers were travelling were intercepted on National Highway-16 at Ranihati in the Panchla police station area of the district.
Besides the MLAs, there were two other persons in the luxury car that had a board with "MLA Jamtara Jharkhand" written on it along with the Congress' election symbol, police said.
Bhangalia said the cash would be counted once the machines come, adding the MLAs are also being questioned about the source of the money and where it was being taken to.
{{/usCountry}}Bhangalia said the cash would be counted once the machines come, adding the MLAs are also being questioned about the source of the money and where it was being taken to.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress shares power with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) in the state. Party leader Bandhu Tirkey blamed the seizure on BJP that is trying to destablise the Jharkhand government, led by Hemand Soren.
“It is in the BJP's nature to try and destabilise any government that is not theirs. Same has been done against CM Soren's government. Only reason they were given money (by BJP) is to make the government fall,” Tirkey was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The BJP said ever since the coalition government came to power, corruption is on a rise in the state. “Earlier too, large amounts of cash were caught in Jharkhand - at officers' homes. They use public's hard-earned income for other purposes. Police caught them and it came to light,” Aditya Sahu, state general secretary of the BJP, told ANI.
The Trinamool Congress said the recovery of cash was made amid murmurs of horse-trading and the possible toppling of the JMM-led Jharkhand government.
"Amidst murmurs of horse-trading and the possible toppling of the Jharkhand Govt. 3 @INCJharkhand were found carrying huge sums of cash to Bengal. What is the source of this money? Will any Central Agency take suo moto cognizance? Or do the rules apply to a select few? (sic)" the party wrote on its official Twitter handle.