CHENNAI: Around 20 foreign nationals have been arrested on charges of casting vote in the Assembly elections held on April 23, Crime Branch police said on Thursday.
The police are investigating the exact nature of the offence, including whether impersonation was involved, which could attract charges under Section 169 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Officials are also investigating how their names appeared in the electoral rolls despite their loss of citizenship, under Section 16(1)(a) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
Among those arrested are seven Sri Lankan nationals Ranjini (59), Sarbudeen (68), Nilanthi (44), Jeyanthan (40), Charlie Balachandran (48), Chakravarthy Logapriya (50) and Sunitha Chakravarthy (48); Ayyadurai (53) from the United Kingdom; Titin Mariati (47) from Indonesia; and Jithendranath (38) from Canada. Four among them are women. The identity of the remaining accused are yet to be formally confirmed.
The Central Crime Branch and local police have registered nine cases since May 7.
The detections were made at Chennai and Madurai international airports after the ECI directed immigration officials to screen outbound passengers following polling day.
Immigration officials checked the fingers of departing passengers for indelible ink marks. In this, 15 individuals were intercepted at Chennai airport and a few others holding foreign passports were detained at the Madurai airport.
Under Section 9 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, an Indian citizen who voluntarily acquires foreign nationality automatically loses Indian citizenship and the right to vote.
The detainees are said to have voted in constituencies across Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Villupuram and Madurai. Immigration authorities have submitted a report on the detections to the EC, sources said.