Thanjavur: Flying squad members in Thanjavur today seized Rs 15.45 lakh cash from a car belonging to a Coimbatore-based timber merchant without valid documents.

With model code of conduct being in force in view of the elections for the Thanjavur Assembly constituency, officials, led by deputy tahsildar D. Kannan, along with a police team, stopped a car while they were conducting vehicle check on the Vallam Bypass Road near Thanjavur.

During the search they found Rs 15,45,500 cash kept in a leather bag. Upon enquiry, the occupant of the car, later identified as A. Mohamed Sajid (34), resident of Park Avenue, Coimbatore, claimed that he was a timber merchant and he was taking the money to Thanjavur to purchase timber for M/s Pioneer Plywood Industries located in Muthugoundar Pudur, Sulur in Coimbatore district.
As he did not possess valid papers for the money, the officials seized the cash along with the vehicle and took it to the taluk office in Thanjavur where they handed over it to deputy tahsildar (headquarters) Durairaj, who asked Sajid to get back the money after producing proper documents for it.