Maharashtra BJP minister admits seized cash is his

Mumbai, Nov 18: In remarks that could embarrass the BJP, a senior BJP cabinet minister in Maharashtra on Friday admitted to hoarding Rs 91,50,000 in demonetised currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000.

"I had kept thinking it would come in handy during my regular business transactions. But suddenly on November 8, these notes were demonetised. I am ready to face any consequences in this regard," Minister for Cooperatives Subhash Deshmukh told a private news channel.

The stashed cash in the old currency was seized from a private vehicle owned by Deshmukh-controlled NGO, Lok Mangal Group of Solapur, shocking people at large.

Confirming the seizure late on Thursday, Osmanabad Collector Prashant Narnaware told the media that the money was detected during a routine check of vehicles by a district election flying squad near Umarga town.

The vehicle was impounded and the seized cash promptly deposited in the local district treasury pending investigation.