Karnataka: Seizure this time 4.5 time more than last assembly polls
include sarees, drugs, cash, food kits
New Delhi (PTI): The Election Commission on Tuesday said enforcement agencies in poll-bound Karnataka seized over Rs 375 crore worth of liquor, drugs and freebies which was 4.5 times more than what was recovered during the last assembly election in the state.
It said that increased focus on expenditure monitoring was the reason being the seizures, which included freebies such as sarees, 'food kits', pressure cookers and kitchen appliances.
The Enforcement Directorate attached assets worth Rs 288 crore after the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct on March 29 in the state. The poll panel has marked 81 assembly seats as "expenditure sensitive" constituencies.
Notable hauls included the seizure of Rs 4.04 crore cash in Bangarapet constituency in Kolar district, a raid on a laboratory illegally manufacturing Alprazolam in Hyderabad using intelligence and trail mapping by the Narcotics Control Bureau and the seizure of 100 kg ganja in Bidar district, the poll panel said.
Significant liquor seizures have been made by all the districts, it said.
"Another striking feature of expenditure monitoring has been huge seizures of freebies. Sarees and food kits have been seized from Kalburgi, Chimanglur and other districts. A large number of pressure cookers and kitchen appliances were also seized from Bailhongal and Kunigal and other assembly constituencies," it said in a statement.
"The recorded seizures in the state mark a significant 4.5 times increase as compared to the assembly election in 2018. Strict vigil, extensive monitoring, coordination with neighbouring states and inter-agency coordination has led to checking flow and distribution of inducements in Karnataka this time," the Election Commission said.
While announcing the schedule for Karnataka assembly elections Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had stressed on increased vigil and zero tolerance on the distribution of inducements during the electoral process.
He had remarked that the commission has significantly raised the bar for ensuring inducement-free elections and the continuum of stepping up of efforts and increase in seizures witnessed during recently held assembly elections in five States, would continue, the poll panel recalled.
From the date of the visit of the commission in the second week of March, till the date of the announcement of elections, seizures of Rs 83.78 crore were also made by various enforcement agencies, it said.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
