Thanjavur: The officials of the Static Surveillance Team in Thanjavur today seized Rs 13.22 lakhs that was being taken in a car by the sales manager of an Erode based company without prior permission from the election returning officer for Thanjavur constituency.

With the election model code of conduct being in force in view of the November 19 elections for Thanjavur constituency, the officials of the Static Surveillance Team led by Pattukottai BDO K Pitchi Mydeen were checking vehicles at Palliagraharam junction on the Kumbakonam road last evening when they stumbled upon the car and conducted a thorough search.

The officials found cash to the tune of Rs 13.22 lakhs, all in Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 denominations, in the car. Subsequently, the car along with the money was taken to the taluk office in Thanjavur.

Upon enquiry, the occupant of the car, identified as R Kannan (40), sales manager of Lakshmi Enterprises, Erode, claimed that he had collected the money from a distributor in Nannilam in Tiruvarur district as payment for the supply of gas stoves by his company. Kannan also showed relevant documents to prove his claim. However, tahsildar R Gurumurthy, who is also the assistant returning officer for Thanjavur constituency, seized the car along with the money on the grounds that Kannan had not obtained prior permission from the election returning officer to carry more than Rs. 50,000 in cash.

The tahsildar told Kannan to reclaim the money after presenting a petition to the District Collector who is the district electoral officer.

“As per election rules, one should get prior permission from the returning officer to carry more than Rs. 50,000 by cash. As Kannan had not got prior permission from the returning officer for carrying the cash found in the car, his money was seized,” tahsildar Gurumurthy told Covai Post. To get the seized money back, the aggrieved person can present a petition to the collector who is the appellant authority, he added.