Midnapore, May 10: Bharati Ghosh, the Bharatiya Janata Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Ghatal Lok Sabha was detained by West Bengal police for four hours on Thursday night after Rs 1.13 cash was seized from her car. According to reports, the car in which Ghosh was travelling was intercepted at Mangal Bar in Pingla area in West Midnapore district at around 11 PM on May 9. Ghatal Lok Sabha Constituency in West Bengal: Candidates, Current MP, Polling Date And Election Results 2019.

There were also other people in the car when the police seized the cash. The police have started a probe into the matter. The former IPS officer was allowed to leave Pingla Police Station at around 2.45 AM after her questioning. Meanwhile, the West Bengal Election Commission has sought a report from the District Magistrate regarding the case. West Bengal: Bharati Ghosh, BJP Ghatal Lok Sabha Candidate, Threatens to 'Beat TMC Workers Like a Dog’.

Trinamool Congress alleged that Ghosh was carrying the money for "influencing voters". However, Ghosh denied the allegations. The BJP candidate told PTI, “I was carrying only Rs 50,000 on me. I had my convenor and driver in my car. My convenor had around Rs 49,000 with him and the driver was carrying Rs 13,000. I have a bank statement detailing the date and the branch from which the amount was withdrawn.” She further added that the money which she was carrying was for her personal expenses. West Bengal Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Dates: Constituency-Wise Complete Schedule Of Voting And Results For General Elections.

Ghatal Lok Sabha constituency is going for polls in the sixth phase on May 12. Ghosh will be contesting against the TMC candidate and incumbent MP from Ghatal Deepak Adhikari. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

(With inputs from PTI)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 10, 2019 01:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).