delhi

Updated: Sep 08, 2016 23:48 IST

Two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers with Rs 3 crore cash were stopped by traffic police on NH-24 in Ghaziabad on Thursday morning.

The two BJP workers -- Siddharth Shukla (28) and Ankush Aggarwal (30), both residents of Lucknow -- were going to the UP capital from Delhi.

“The vehicle, a dark blue Swift (HR 26 AR 9662), was stopped near Model Town cut after it jumped the traffic signal. They said they were going towards Ghaziabad,”said Rajesh Kumar, superintendent of police (traffic), Ghaziabad.

“The police found bags of cash after which they were taken to the Indirapuram police station for questioning after being fined for traffic violation,” he added.

The money was in four bags. Income tax officials also questioned them.

“The two said they were carrying BJP funds from Delhi to Lucknow for disbursement of salary to party workers,” said Shailesh Yadav, station house officer, Indirapuram.

A number of BJP workers and members reached the police station by 11 pm.

“It is white money. We have all the official papers. It was for salary of our activists and for payment for our under-construction office in Lucknow,” said Ashok Monga, the BJP’s regional general secretary, western Uttar Pradesh.

The BJP workers accused the traffic officials of demanding money.

“The officials refused to believe them and said they would let them go if they gave them Rs 10 lakh. After they refused (bribe), they took them to the Indirapuram police station,” said Monga.

Monga said the BJP’s social media team of Noida and Ghaziabad will launch an online campaign against the Ghaziabad traffic police. “We will tell the world that they asked for bribe,” said Monga.

The traffic police denied the allegations. “It is baseless,” said Rajesh Kumar.

Around 3 pm, the two activists were allowed to go after being questioned by income tax officials.

“The income tax cleared the money and it has been confirmed they were carrying party funds. However, income tax officials will continue their investigation and keep a check on the two,” said Yadav.