2 occupants hospitalised; unaccounted money running to lakhs of rupees seized

Several lakhs of rupees concealed in the door panel of a multi-utility vehicle (MUV) fell on the road after the vehicle met with an accident near Madukkarai on Wednesday. Police said that the vehicle, with three occupants, was proceeding from Erode to Malappuram in Kerala.

The vehicle reportedly collided head-on with a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus proceeding to Arisipalayam at the Bodipalayam Junction.

The MUV was badly damaged and the cash fell out from one of the doors and onto the road in the impact of the collision.

Bus commuters and people in the locality were surprised to see bundles of currency falling on the road. Police said Yasar Arafat, 28, of Malappuram who drove the car and one of the occupants, Jaffar, 38, were being treated at a private hospital. The other occupant, Jaleel, 40, escaped unhurt.

On receiving information, Revenue and Income Tax officials rushed to the spot. The vehicle was towed away to the Madukkarai Police Station and cash to the tune of Rs. 2,44,95,830 was found concealed in the other doors of the vehicle.

A case was registered under Sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.

No arrest was made till the late hours of the day.

The money was handed over to Income Tax officials in the evening as occupants of the vehicle did not have documents to substantiate the source of the money and the purpose for which it was being transported.

According to IT Department sources, though about Rs. 2.45 crore was seized from the vehicle, the owner of the money, Mustafa of Erode, claimed that there was Rs. 2.5 crore in the vehicle. A sum of Rs. 2,44,95,830 was deposited in a bank. A warrant for questioning by the I-T Department was taken against Mustafa.

Police said that this might be a new modus operandi for transporting unaccounted money across the State border.