Stepped up security at checkposts leaves citizens fuming

HUBBALLI: The temporary checkposts set up to check illegal transportation of cash near the city and borders is proving to be a headache for the aam admi.
The district administrations has personnel from police, excise, revenue, Home Guards and other departments for checking.

Mayur Patil who was travelling by NEKRTC bus from Gadag to Hubballi on Sunday morning, had a not so pleasant experience at one of the checkposts.

“Our bus was stopped at the checkpost outside Gadag city. I had Rs 4,000 which I had withdrawn from an ATM. The Home Guard looked at it suspiciously. As the EC itself had announced that there is no need for documents for cash less than Rs 20,000, I did not keep the slip from the ATM with me. The guard insisted that I explain about the money. He took me to a constable who counted the money and when he realized it was just Rs 4,000 let me go. The bus was stopped for 10 minutes and all of us were inconvenienced as the Home Guard did not know the rules,” he explained.

Prakash Gangolli, a tax consultant in Hubballi, too echoed Patil’s opinion that the personnel at checkposts are ignorant of rules.

“As per the I-T Act, a person can carry maximum Rs two lakh for purchase of capital assets and Rs 20,000 for daily expenses. But poll staff are seizing cash even its over Rs 20,000 and citizens have documents to account for the money. Yes, they are getting their money back. But its unnecessary waste of time, energy and money again,” he rued.

Group-B officer resolves cases on spot

Home Guards are hired by the excise department. These guards or other security personnel just check bags of passengers. If they find something suspicious like cash or valuables, they refer it to a group B officer, who is deployed at the checkpost. The group B officer resolves the cases on the spot.

-M G Hiremath, Deputy Commissioner, Gadag.