Control of illegal money during General Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Bihar 2015
Based on media reports in particular relating to a sting operation conducted by a TV channel in September, 2015 on Hawala Operations related with ongoing elections in Bihar, the Election Commission of India directed Income Tax authorities in Bihar and Delhi to investigate the matter. The Commission expressed serious concern about use of illegal money in elections. The Commission further directed that it expects that in Bihar State Assembly General Elections, all agencies must make all round efforts with real-time intelligence sharing with each other and monitor such suspicious transactions. The Commission had also stated that expenditure sensitive areas and persons likely to be associated with such Hawala operations must be identified and mapped. As the election process has already started, such actionable intelligence must be put to use at once.
As a follow up action to above directions, Income Tax authorities have informed the Commission that after searches approximately 19 crores Rs. in Delhi and Muzaffarpur, Bihar have been recovered as unaccounted money (amounting to over Rs. 5 crore in Delhi from 9 persons and Rs. 13.75 crores by 4 persons in Muzaffarpur, Bihar).
Keeping in the view the ongoing elections, identified and suspected Hawala operators are being kept under surveillance by respective authorities. Investigations are on in cases of unaccounted money.
