Thane, November 16: A static surveillance team (SST) of the Election Commission seized Rs 5.55 crore cash from a vehicle in the Kalyan Rural assembly constituency in Maharashtra's Thane district on Saturday, an official said. The team was deployed in the Shilphata area in the morning when it intercepted a vehicle and found cash of Rs 5.55 crore, returning officer Vishwas Gujar said. Rs 2.5 Crore Cash Seized in Navi Mumbai Ahead of Maharashtra Assembly Polls.

He said the occupants failed to provide documentation or valid explanations for the large sum of money. "Since the amount exceeded the permissible limit of Rs 10 lakh, the matter was referred to the Income Tax Department for further investigation," Gujar told reporters. Maharashtra Polls: Rs 3.7 Crore Cash Seized in Thane.

The cash was verified in the presence of a magistrate and subsequently seized by Income Tax Department officials, he said, adding that an inquiry is underway to trace the origins of the money and determine its intended use. Ahead of the November 20 Maharashtra elections, enforcement agencies have ramped up vigilance. Static surveillance teams, flying squads, and other monitoring units have intensified vehicle checks to curb the movement of unaccounted money, liquor, and other inducements.