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CHENNAI/TIRUPATI: Election flying squad on Wednesday evening seized 1,381kg of gold from a van at Puduchatram village near the Vinayagar temple on Tiruvallur High Road.

The squad along with police found gold packed in boxes. Police said the driver told them that the consignment belonged to the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam (TTD).

TTD executive officer Anil Kumar Singhal said the gold was being moved by Punjab National Bank. It was supposed to be handed over to TTD in Tirupati. “TTD had deposited a total of 8,500kg of gold with Andhra Bank and Punjab National Bank. As the three-year deposit period of the 1,381kg gold matured recently, TTD asked PNB to hand it over its headquarters in Tirupati. The gold was being moved from Chennai and the consignment was intercepted near Tiruvallur,” he said.

TTD’s financial advisor and chief accounts officer O Balaji said bank officials had already informed the election commission about the movement of the gold and had submitted documents. “There is nothing to worry because PNB officials have confirmed that the consignment would be released after producing relevant documents. The gold will be handed over to the TTD at its headquarters in Tirupati by Thursday morning or afternoon,” he said.

At present, the consignment has been kept at the Poonamallee taluk office.

