Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (RJP)

Bengaluru, May 12: The city police here on Friday May 11, arrested three suspects in connection with the seizure of bulk voter cards from a flat in Jalahalli in the Rajarajeshwarinagar Assembly constituency.

Chinna Tambi, Chinna Dorai and Sharavana are the arrested persons. Other 11 persons are either absconding or yet to be arrested.

MLA Munirathna from Congress has been named as an accused as water bottles found in the flat bore his picture.

"We will secure all the accused and will question their involvement in this case,” police commissioner T Suneel Kumar informed.

During the investigation, the police asked the voter ID card holders how their IDs ended up in the flat and if the cards were forcibly taken. Card holders responded by saying they gave the cards voluntarily as they were promised freebies in return by men who spoke to them.

Though a few of the accused were affiliated to the Congress, investigations so far have not established that the party is responsible for any election irregularities at the flat. "What if it were to be a conspiracy hatched by some other parties?" a senior police officer said.

However, even if the accused in such cases were convicted, they will be only penalised anywhere from Rs 250 to Rs 25,000. "There is no imprisonment for the accused as far as we know," said another police officer. He also said that the conviction rate in such cases booked during the previous elections was only 48%.

Private complaint

Meanwhile, the 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court on Friday ordered the Jalahalli police to probe a private complaint filed by BJP worker Rakesh N under 156 (3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, and submit a report by June 25.

In his complaint to the court, Rakesh said he was aggrieved by the inaction of the Jalahalli police. He said there was doubt and "apprehension of obfuscation of truth" by the police, "which is strikingly evident,”

However, Kumar said the police would seek a clarification from the court as appropriate sections have been already added in the present FIR and other sections can also be added as per the court's direction.

As many as 9,746 Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) were recovered by Election Commission on Tuesday and the election for the Rajarajeshwarinagar Assembly constituency has been postponed to May 28.