A sum of Rs 1.13 lakh was seized from a vehicle ferrying IPS officer and Ghatal BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh on Thursday night, two days before polls, after a search that police claimed she first tried to evade and later resist.

Trinamul leaders accused Ghosh of trying to buy votes and complained to the Election Commission. The panel has sought a report, sources said.

Ghosh was the police chief of West Midnapore, which includes Ghatal, before she fell out of favour with the ruling dispensation and resigned from service.

Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh alleged a “political conspiracy”. Ghosh claimed only a part of the money was hers. “I had with me Rs 50,000 withdrawn from a bank. A party leader had Rs 49,000 and the driver Rs 14,000. I didn’t sign the seizure papers because….the police insisted only I sign,” Ghosh said.

A poll official said possessing money was not an offence but the carrier should account for it. The police said Ghosh resisted the vehicle check at Mundumari near Pingla town — which falls under Ghatal constituency where voting will be held on May 12 — and the car sped away before being stopped again 3km away.

Ghosh used communal barbs against one of the cops and snatched a cellphone in which the entire episode was being recorded before deleting the footage, the police alleged. Ghosh denied it.

West Midnapore police chief Alok Rajoria said: “Unaccounted cash Rs 1.13 lakh has been seized from the vehicle in which Bharati Ghosh was travelling. A case has been registered, including using criminal force to deter a public servant, intent to outrage religious feelings and causing disappearance of evidence.” The charges can bring up to two years’ jail if proved.