Mumbai: Amid the Maharashtra election season, Tilak Nagar police seized Rs. 30 lakhs from a Creta car on Friday evening, detaining two individuals found carrying the cash. The money, currently deemed “unauthorised,” has been handed over to the Income Tax Department, according to police officials.

The Flying Squad Team (FST) and Static Surveillance Team (SST), assigned to election duty, conducted inspections that included officers from the Tilak Nagar police station. They spotted a Creta car parked near Ravi Petrol Pump on the Ghatkopar-Mahul Road in Chembur West, within Tilak Nagar's jurisdiction.

Upon inspection of the vehicle as per the standard operating procedure (SOP), officers found two individuals inside. While their identities remain undisclosed, bundles of cash in Rs. 500 denomination were discovered. When questioned by SST authorities, the individuals gave vague responses, raising suspicion.

The police seized the vehicle and cash, detaining the two individuals and bringing them to Tilak Nagar police station. “The vehicle was spotted around 4:30 pm, and they arrived at the station by 5 pm. Following SOP, we alerted the Income Tax Department, who will inspect the cash. Currently, the bundles consist of Rs. 500 notes, with a total value of nearly Rs. 29.5 lakhs after counting,” a police official stated.

During questioning, the two detained individuals claimed the cash was for “business purposes,” reportedly at the request of Sachin Dubey, a dairy business owner who allegedly asked them to transport the money. The duo stated they were traveling from Ghatkopar toward Dadar to deposit the money at Union Bank, according to police officials.

“We have summoned Sachin Dubey to explain the source and legitimacy of the funds. The IT team will then verify the cash from their end,” the official added.

As of Friday evening, no complaint or First Information Report (FIR) has been registered, as the investigation remains ongoing.

The Election Commission of India constitutes SSTs and FSTs during election seasons in various constituencies to curb excessive expenditure and corrupt practices. These teams conduct inspections and nakabandis (on-road checking) within their designated jurisdictions, including vehicle searches.

This incident follows a recent seizure by Pune Rural police, who confiscated Rs. 5 crore in cash from a car near Khed-Shivapur plaza on the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway during a police nakabandi on Monday.