**Jharsuguda:** The Lakhanpur police have detained a senior Congress leader for allegedly carrying cash worth around Rs 90,000 in his car here on Wednesday.
Gautam Pradhan, Jharsuguda District Congress president, was detained and cash worth Rs 87,710 seized from his Indigo car at Lakhanpur area, police said.
Pradhan was going towards Lakhanpur from Jharsuguda in order to oversee the election affairs as he is the in-charge for Lakhanpur area for the forthcoming panchayat polls, sources added.
Notably, the three-tier panchayat elections are to be held in five phases on February 13, 15, 17, 19 and 21.
Pradhan, a former BJD Lakhanpur block chairman, had joined the Congress in February last year.
It is noteworthy that Pradhan has been active in politics of Lakhanpur block since 1988.
