NewsGram Staff Writer

New Delhi: The Election Commission stated on Sunday that Rs 19 crore was recovered as unaccounted money from 13 people ahead of the first phase of voting for the Bihar assembly.

"Income tax authorities have informed the Commission that, after searches, approximately Rs19 crore from Delhi and Muzaffarpur, Bihar, have been recovered as unaccounted money," the commission said in a statement.

It said over Rs 5 crore were recovered in the national capital from nine people and Rs 13.75 crore from four people in Muzaffarpur.

The Election Commission had directed the Income Tax authorities to take action following a sting operation by a TV channel last month on hawala operations related to the elections in Bihar.

Investigations were on to determine the source of the unaccounted money, the statement said.

"Keeping in view the ongoing elections, identified and suspected hawala operators are kept under surveillance by the authorities," the statement added.

(With inputs from IANS)