What had added to the intrigue was the spot where the truck was intercepted at 10.30 pm – the highway passing through Gadwal which is typically a conduit for smugglers.
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However, after a few hours of suspense, it turned out to be a case of much ado about nothing as the cash load belonged to the Union Bank of India which was being shifted from Kerala to Hyderabad.
On Wednesday, Telangana chief electoral officer Vikas Raj put an end to all the speculation and said the truck was released for its onward journey after confirmation from bank authorities.
“The truck with Rs 750 crore in cash grabbed the spotlight for a few hours but ultimately we found out it was a straightforward chest-to-chest money transfer. Once verified, police allowed the truck to continue its journey,” Vikas Raj said.
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The CEO said every vehicle entering the state was being meticulously inspected due to the heightened vigilance of law enforcement agencies.
During his recent visit to Hyderabad before announcing the Telangana poll schedule in Delhi, chief election commissioner Rajeev Kumar had told the state election authorities to curb smuggling via Mahbugnagar to Hyderabad from Goa and other places. He was also upset with ‘fewer’ cash seizures by state police. The Election Commission even transferred top IPS officers, four collectors and senior officials following complaints from opposition parties.
With EC talking tough, cops on election duty in the state are not taking any chances and, suspecting possible foul play, had stopped the truck on the highway on Tuesday night.
Elaborating further, Sanjay Kumar Jain, Telangana police nodal officer for the EC, said: “The cash-laden truck encountered a road block, prompting a call to Gadwal police for assistance. Our sleuths, upon inspection, discovered a huge amount. After scrutinising documents and consulting with bank and Reserve Bank of India, the truck, accompanied by Gadwal police, continued its journey to Hyderabad.”
Meanwhile, cumulative seizures across the state has touched Rs165 crore, which includes cash, liquor, drugs, gold and precious stones. The seized gold, diamonds and precious metals is valued at Rs62 crore and cash amounts to Rs77 crore.