Bhubaneswar: The police reportedly seized around Rs 55 lakh from a car during routine checking in Odisha’s Sonepur district today.

The cops found Rs 55.2 lakh in cash from the car (Toyota Innova) while checking it near College Square at Binika in Sonepur district today afternoon.

The car (AP 05 TC 8181) was on its way to Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. Altogether six persons, including the driver, were travelling in the car.

The police seized the money after the six occupants in the car could not cite any valid reason for carrying the amount with them. The occupants also could not reveal the source of the money.

The police have deposited the money in a bank and launched a probe into the incident. The six occupants have been detained for questioning.

The seizure of money assumes significance as Lok Sabha as well as Assembly polls in Odisha are scheduled to be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.

It is worth mentioning here that the joint teams of various enforcement agencies have checked as many as 25,610 vehicles at 142 places across Odisha till April 5.

The joint teams comprising officials from Income Tax (I-T) department, Enforcement Directorate, Goods and Services Tax (GST) & Commercial Tax Commissionerate, Excise department, police and State Transport Authority (STA) have seized cash, liquors, ganja, sari, LPG stoves, automobile parts and shoes from the vehicles during the checking.

The joint teams have issued challans to the tune of Rs 12.84 lakh and imposed penalties on goods worth Rs 27.72 crore during the checking.