Poor Huzurabad bypoll cash haul: Now, lens on e-wallets in Telangana

HYDERABAD: Ahead of the high-stakes Huzurabad bypoll, election authorities, police and taxmen are now keeping a tight vigil on transactions done through e-wallets as cash seizures have been unusually low.
So far, the cash seizures have been just Rs 1.57 crore, surprising enforcement authorities.
Two days ago, district collector RV Karnan, Karimnagar police commissioner V Satyanarayana and other election officials in a meeting with bankers decided to keep an eye on unusual transfer of money into e-wallets.
“From a single bank account/e-wallet, if there is a bulk transfer of money into wallets, we should be able to know. Since the police checking has intensified, transporting cash is not so easy. So, there is every possibility that some contesting candidates might try to influence the voters by transferring money into e-wallets,” a senior district police officer told TOI.
“To negate the digital flow of money, we sought the help of bankers to keep surveillance on e-wallets,” the police officer added.
Police are expecting the money flow into e-wallets to increase in the last three days leading to the October 30 bypoll day, especially when cash flow is tightened.“The police and other election officials will have no clue until bankers bring it to their notice. Similarly, the other unusual form of digital transactions are also being monitored,” another official.
Officials said since Huzurabad bypoll is a prestigious election with the BJP locking horns with the ruling TRS, voters will be lured by leaders distributing money.Instructions have also been given by election authorities to install CCTVs near the cash counter of every wine shop to verify the transactions.
“We will see that liquor is not given to customers on submission of tokens that could be sponsored by a candidate,” added one official.