PUNE: Over 437kg of gold jewellery worth around Rs 138 crore was intercepted in Pune Friday morning while it was being carried by a cargo services firm’s van. A static surveillance team comprising Election Commission of India (ECI) representatives and Pune police intercepted the jewellery.
Pune collector and district election officer Suhas Diwase said, “It was an interception and not a seizure. Our static surveillance team claims it was a logistics vehicle of a company that regularly transports jewellery and that they have the papers. The income tax department is verifying the documents.”
The jewellery would be released if the documents are found valid, he said. “If they do not have the papers, it would be seized. Anything more than Rs 10 lakh or 1 kg of gold has to be handed over to the income tax department, he said. “We are keeping strict watch on any kind of illegal ferrying of goods during election period. ECI has directed all election officials to keep a close watch on any kind of transport of precious metals, drugs, cash and liquor during the election period,” Diwase added.
Saurabh Gadgil, chairman of Pune-based PN Gadgil Jewellers, told TOI, “There has been a misunderstanding. Every item was fully documented with bills and emails. There is nothing illegal here.”
