The police did not hand over any cash in connection with the Kodakara money heist case to the Income Tax department, according to Debjyoti Das, Director General of Income Tax (Investigation), Kochi.
“I am aware of the case. There was no cash seizure. It was not brought to our notice that any cash was seized,” he said at a press conference here on Tuesday to explain the steps being taken by the department to curb the use of unaccounted money in the Lok Sabha election.
The Kodakara money heist pertained to a highway robbery, allegedly of ₹3.5 crore, in Kodakara town, near Chalakudy, in Thrissur on April 3, three days before the Assembly elections in 2021. The Kerala Police had questioned several leaders of the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on allegations that the hawala money was meant for the party’s election campaign.
When pointed out that the police had recovered a portion of the total money, Mr. Das said nothing was seized to his knowledge. “Perhaps, they may have submitted it to the court thinking that it was some criminal money. It was not handed over to us,” he said.
Asked whether the Income Tax department had probed the allegations, Mr. Das said the department had received some information. “But it was all hearsay,” he said.
