Serious case, cannot be disposed of just by arresting a few people: DKS on Votegate scam

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Congress leaders have claimed that the party is monitoring the way investigations in the case were taking place. Addressing a press conference in the city on Monday, the KPCC state president DK Shivakumar said that he has sought an appointment with the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday to brief the latter on the scam.

 “We have the documents as proof of irregularities, it has been reported in the media and above all this, the Election Officers themselves have accepted that they have carried out this process,” he said. The Opposition party had alleged that the Chilume Trust had hired many private people who were given fake identity cards that showed them as booth-level officers (BLOs) of the city civic body.

“This is a serious case and cannot be disposed off just by arresting a few people. The investigation must bring out the actual kingpins behind the data theft and necessary action must be taken against them. We have documents against a few MLAs involved in this and have recordings along with their transaction details,” DK added.

Meanwhile, in a late-night operation, the city police arrested the alleged prime accused in the voter data theft case, Krishnappa Ravi Kumar. The accused is said to be the co-founder of the Chilume Educational Cultural and Rural Development Institute. As per the police, the Chilume had three directors one of whom has already been arrested.

Kumar had been on the run since the day a case was registered against the NGO and had been constantly changing his locations travelling across Tiptur, Tumakuru and Sirsi districts. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru Central, Srinivas R Gowda on Monday confirmed the arrest and said that Kumar is being interrogated along with the other four people arrested in the case.

NGO Director Renuka Prasad and HR personnel Dharanesh were arrested last week. Based on the information procured from them, two other persons, Prajwal and Kempe Gowda were arrested later. Kempe Gowda is said to be the brother of Ravi Kumar.

It is being said that Chilume had reportedly taken permission from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike to create awareness among the voters, but had reportedly collected personal data from the voters through their ‘agents.’ Earlier an organisation named Samanvaya Trust had complained to the BBMP alleging irregularities by Chilume.