Trinamool Congress MP held at IGI airport with Rs 57 lakh

New Delhi, Mar 25: A Trinamool Congress MP was stopped at the Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi on Friday after he was found carrying Rs 57 lakh but was later allowed to go when he informed authorities that the money belonged to his company, sources said.

Kanwar Deep Singh, the Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand and owner of Alchemist Group, was stopped after CISF officials found that he was carrying a large amount of money, the sources said. He was on his way to Guwahati.

The CISF officials informed Air Intelligence Unit of the Income Tax department, who found that he was carrying Rs 57 lakh, they said. He was accompanied by seven others in a private plane.

Sources said Singh was allowed to go after questioning when he informed the officials that the money belonged to his company.

Airport officials have stepped up checking after the Bureau of Civil Aviation has instructed them to keep a strict vigil on movement of cash in view of the upcoming Assembly elections. Incidentally, Singh was on way to election-bound Assam.

The Alchemist Group comprises 11 companies in various sectors such as food processing, health care, hospitality, food and beverages, steel, real estate and infrastructure development.

Reacting to the development, CPM leader Brinda Karat said her party has demanded that the government should take notice of this and file a criminal case against him and take required action.

"This is the immorality of Trinamool. If they can do it in Assam, where they have no presence, you can imagine what they are going to be doing in Bengal. It is a shameful thing that has happened," she said.

PTI