Gold, cash worth Rs 52 cr found in abandoned SUV in Bhopal
Bhopal, Dec 20: The Income Tax department and police have seized 52 kg of gold bars worth Rs 40 crore and more than Rs 11 crore in cash from an abandoned SUV in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, an official said on Friday.
The seizure comes amid ongoing action by the I-T department in the city over the last few days.
The authorities received a tip-off on Thursday night that the vehicle was standing unclaimed on Kushalpura Road with bags kept inside it, the official said.
Talking to PTI, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Priyanka Shukla said, "A person informed Ratibad police station that an Innova Crysta was standing unclaimed on the Kushalpura road for a long time and about seven to eight bags were inside the vehicle, following which a police team reached the spot."
She said someone is suspected to have left the bags of gold and cash behind amid ongoing action by some departments in the city in the last few days.
"We informed the I-T department, and they broke the SUV's windows and seized 52 kg gold bars and a huge amount of cash from it," DCP said.
She said the SUV had the registration number from the MP-07 series and belonged to Chandan Singh Gaur, a native of Gwalior living in Bhopal for four years.
The I-T department is conducting a probe, the official said.
Director General Income Tax (Investigation) Satish K Goyal told PTI that acting on a tip-off that an unclaimed car was parked in the forest area, I-T officials searched the vehicle and recovered 52 kg gold bars worth Rs 40 crore and more than Rs 11 crore cash from it.
He said the total seizure was valued at Rs 52 crore.
"It is not yet clear to whom this cash and gold belongs, and we are investigating the matter further," Goyal said.
According to sources, the I-T department has been conducting raids against a few individuals associated with the real estate sector in Bhopal since Thursday, and it is suspected that the valuables belong to persons against whom action is being taken.
Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Umang Singhar, alleged the seized gold and other matters coming out in raids were the result of a nexus between politicians and bureaucrats.
#WATCH | Madhya Pradesh | Visual of the car from which the Bhopal Police and Income Tax seized 52 kg of gold and bundles of money
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2024
The car was found abandoned in the jungle of Mendori in the Ratibad area. Police and Income Tax are trying to find out who left the money and gold… https://t.co/ZgT17Ubcce pic.twitter.com/fqhhzMSJMJ
#WATCH | Madhya Pradesh | In a joint action by Bhopal Police and Income Tax, 52 kg of gold and bundles of money were found in an abandoned car in Bhopal during an IT raid. The car was found abandoned in the jungle of Mendori in the Ratibad area. Police and Income Tax are trying… pic.twitter.com/7KOoJ4AZBJ
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2024
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Karnataka: GBA city corporation polls likely between June 14 and 24
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka State Election Commissioner G S Sangreshi on Friday said elections to the five city corporations under the GBA will be held anytime between June 14 and June 24.
He said the exact date for the polls will be announced after a week, asserting that the power to postpone the elections, as requested by GBA authorities, lies with the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had directed the Karnataka government and the State Election Commission to conduct Bengaluru local body elections by June 30.
On Friday, the SEC held a consultation meeting with the GBA Chief Commissioner and commissioners of the five city corporations regarding the election schedule, as per the provisions of the GBA Act.
“During the meeting, I informed GBA officials that only the election date has to be fixed, as all other measures and formalities for conducting the polls have already been completed,” Sangreshi said.
“They requested the Commission to consider factors such as rains, exams, census work, SIR, and manpower shortages while fixing the date and sought additional time,” he added.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said, “I told them this meeting was not for seeking time. Elections to the five corporations under the GBA must be held before June 30, as directed by the Supreme Court, and a compliance report must be submitted to the court. I do not have the power to postpone the elections as requested.”
The Supreme Court has already given a “final opportunity,” and both the SEC and the government must comply with its directions, the State Election Commissioner said.
He asked GBA officials to suggest suitable dates between June 14 and June 24.
“While stating that they are ready for elections, the officials highlighted operational challenges, including manpower shortages. However, I have informed them that the elections will have to be held between June 14 and June 24. After a week, I will announce the final date,” he said.
Reiterating that he does not have the power to postpone the elections, Sangreshi said the authority rests with the Supreme Court, and elections must be conducted as scheduled.
“We have consulted the GBA as per the rules. It is up to them to suggest a date within the given window. If they need more time, they must approach the court. Our responsibility is to fix the date and complete the polls before June 30,” he said.
The matter regarding manpower and other concerns raised by GBA officials is already before the Supreme Court, and the State Election Commission has also filed a petition in this regard. The case is yet to be heard.
“Since the matter has not come up for hearing, the earlier order remains binding. Therefore, preparations are underway,” he added.
The tenure of the previous elected body under the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) ended on September 10, 2020, and since then, a government-appointed administrator has been managing its day-to-day affairs.
Bengaluru was divided into five municipal corporations—Central, East, West, North, and South—under the Greater Bengaluru Authority in September 2025, replacing the BBMP.
Sangreshi had earlier said that elections to the five corporations would be conducted using ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines.
This follows the Congress government’s decision last September to recommend the use of ballot papers in all future panchayat and urban local body elections, citing concerns over declining public confidence in EVMs.
The state government subsequently enacted the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act, 2026, paving the way for the use of ballot papers in local body elections.
