Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba is contesting the June 22 by-elections from the Anantnag constituency. The seat had fallen vacant after the death of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7.
A major political storm has hit Mehbooba Mufti-led Jammu and Kashmir government after police seized Rs 58.8 lakh cash from a car in the poll-bound Anantnag constituency.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba is contesting the June 22 by-elections from the Anantnag constituency. The seat had fallen vacant after the death of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7.
Pandemonium rocked Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Thursday when opposition Congress and National Conference created ruckus alleging that the cash was meant for buying votes for Mehbooba Mufti.
Authorities, however, were quick to rubbish the charge claiming that the cash belonged to Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ashaji Pora Branch and it was being transported to be deposited in the currency chest when the vehicle was stopped by police naka party at Janglat Mandi on Wednesday evening.
Shouting slogans `loot maar bandh karo' (stop the loot), `paisa bantna band karo' (stop distribution of money), Congress and NC members walked out of the House in protest demanding explanation from the government and Election Commission (EC).
"Our charge is that the cash was meant to be distributed and buy votes. We request the Election Commission to enquire into it and unravel the truth. We will also lodge a formal complaint before the Election Commission," said Nawang Rigzin Jora, Congress Legislature Party Leader.
National Conference too demanded a statement from the government about the seizure of the huge cash in poll bound Anantnag. "The government should make a statement what was this cash meant for", said Ali Mohammad Sagar, NC general secretary.
Senior PDP leader and J&K minister for consumer affairs and public distribution Chaudhary Zulifikar, however, asked the opposition to lodge a complaint before the EC. "If you have a proof you should go to the EC," he said.
District development commissioner, Anantnag, Syed Abid Hussian Shah, however, said the cash has been accounted for and it belongs to the J&K bank Ashaji Pora branch.
"Initially, the vehicle was taken in possession and elaborate enquiry was instituted. It was established that the cash was being transferred to the currency chest of J&K bank when the vehicle was stopped by a naka party.
There is an adequate cash reserve number. The money stands deposited in the currency chest of J&K bank," he said.
Shah said the bank used the private car to shift the cash in a hurry. "There are RBI guidelines that the cash should be deposited in the chest before nightfall. In the hurry they used a private car to meet the deadline," he said.
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