In a massive seizure ahead of the polls, the Flying Squad of the Election Commission (EC) has seized 1,425 kg of gold approximately valued at around Rs 1,000 crore from a truck in Tamil Nadu, an official said on Saturday.

The huge quantity of precious metal was seized at the Vandalur-Mijinur Outer Ring Road near Kundrathur after a truck and car were intercepted by EC Flying Squad officials.

While checking the truck, the gold was detected in boxes. Those moving in the car that was trailing the truck told officials that they had all the papers and the gold was being transported to a firm in Sriperumbudur.

However, the EC Flying Squad officials were not satisfied with the documents that were produced, and held back the truck as well as the car.

Both vehicles were taken to Sriperumbudur revenue office, and according to sources, Kancheepuram district revenue authorities and Income Tax officials have been trying to ascertain the exact value of the seized gold, initially estimated at around Rs 1,000 crore.

A senior Election Commission official told IANS that those in custody are being questioned to ascertain the origin of the gold and also the details of the recipient(s).

With the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 19 less than a week away in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the EC has stepped up the searches and also intensified checking of vehicles.

(The story has been published via a syndicated feed with a modified headline.)