Lok Sabha elections 2024: Tax officials seize 40,000 sarees kept for voters during raids in Karnataka's Bidar

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, the Commercial Tax Department conducted a raid in Bidar, uncovering an illegal saree trade operation. Led by Assistant Commissioner Mahesh Patil, officials seized over 40,000 sarees valued at more than 40 lakhs. The sarees were believed to be intended for voter influence. Proper documentation was lacking, leading to their confiscation.

With the Lok Sabha elections 2024 just a few weeks away, the Election Commission has ramped up efforts to ensure fair play, implementing stricter codes of conduct to curb any irregularities. Despite these measures, reports of parties attempting to sway voters with illegal means continue to surface.

The Commercial Tax Department carried out a raid in Bidar, uncovering a clandestine operation involving the illegal trade of sarees. Under the leadership of Assistant Commissioner Mahesh Patil, officials intercepted a vehicle at the Mannalli check post in Basavakalyan taluk, Bidar, acting on specific information.

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The raid resulted in the confiscation of more than 40 thousand sarees, with an estimated value exceeding 40 lakhs. These sarees were believed to have been smuggled for distribution among voters in the backdrop of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Commercial tax authorities took action against the illegal trade, seizing the sarees due to a lack of proper documentation. While millions of rupees worth of valuable sarees were found in the operation, authorities emphasized the importance of adhering to legal procedures in such transactions.