BENGALURU: The investigation into the alleged voter theft in Aland constituency in Kalaburagi district has gained momentum.
According to informed sources, the setup with around five computer sets which was handled by four alleged suspects – Akram, Ashfaque, Nadeem and Mushtaq -- was reportedly set up “for the purpose of filing online fraudulent 6,018 Form 7 applications on the Election Commission website for deletion of names,” said sources on condition of anonymity.
“Of the four accused, one is an online political surveyor/manipulator, one a data operator and two others are well versed in filing online applications and providing logical support,” added the sources.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is investigating the alleged voter theft, has also unravelled that the perpetrators had allegedly used 75 mobile phone numbers of people from vulnerable sections of society “from across the country to create login IDs for the 6,018 applications.
The investigation is looking at loopholes, which were used to create login IDs with single one-time passwords (OTPs.) How did the perpetrators get these 75 mobile phone numbers? There has to be a network of people helping them with logistics. Each login was created using an OTP. How did they manage to get them? Did they hack the 75 mobile phones,” said the sources.
The SIT has questioned Akram, Nadeem and Mushtaq and is now planning to bring back Ashfaque, who is said to be in Dubai, for questioning. “Ashfaque left for Dubai after being questioned in the same case in 2023 by the Kalaburagi police, which was initially investigating the case based on an FIR registered in Aland,” added the sources. The FIR was registered based on a complaint filed by the ECI.
‘They were paid Rs 80 per online application of Form 7’
“Each of the four ‘agents’ has played an important role in the alleged fraud. The political analyst was roped in because he had past experience of party-wise survey and manipulation of political data.
The data operator was used to file the applications. Who identified and approached the four men for the job is key to the SIT probe. They are unemployed and aged between 25 and 30. They were paid Rs 80 per online application of Form 7,” said sources.
The SIT, headed by ADGP, CID, was set up last month to examine alleged instances of voter list fraud in Aland prior to 2023 Assembly polls, which was raised by Rahul Gandhi. SIT has also written to Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka for login IDs, OTP trails and other technical data, which were used for the alleged voter theft.
