A Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Karnataka has uncovered evidence suggesting that fraudulent attempts to delete voter names before the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections extended beyond Aland constituency. The probe reveals that a data centre in Kalaburagi district was allegedly used to manipulate voter lists in at least two other constituencies in the region. Investigators found that primarily BJP leaders approached the data centre for these services, with one constituency in Gulbarga city witnessing manipulation of around 35,000 voter names, mostly minorities. Funds were reportedly transferred through an accountant whose laptop has been seized. The data centre operators, Mohammed Ashfaq and Md Akram, along with data entry staff, were questioned in 2023, after which Ashfaq moved to Dubai. Staff were paid Rs 80 per application. While the SIT has gathered key evidence in the Aland case, it currently lacks a mandate to investigate alleged manipulation in other Kalaburagi seats. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had highlighted Aland as an example of vote theft during a press conference. The Kalaburagi region, traditionally a Congress stronghold with significant Dalit, backward, and minority populations, saw narrow victory margins in seven of nine seats during the 2023 elections.
Data Centre Operations and Financial Trail
The SIT investigation traced financial transactions linking the fraudulent voter deletion operation to an accountant in Kalaburagi who served as a key intermediary. This accountant transferred funds to operators of the data centre, and his laptop has been seized as crucial evidence. The data centre was operated by local resident Mohammed Ashfaq and his associate Md Akram, who hired data entry operators to process applications. Each operator received Rs 80 for every online voter deletion application submitted. Following questioning in 2023, Ashfaq relocated to Dubai, while the data entry operators have also undergone investigation. Sources indicate that agreements were signed between the data centre and political actors for voter list changes on behalf of candidates in Kalaburagi region constituencies, though the exact nature and scope of these arrangements remain under scrutiny.
Political Allegations and Denials
BJP leader Chandrakanth Patil, who narrowly lost from Gulbarga North in 2023, denied candidate involvement in voter list manipulations. He suggested that if any agreements existed with the data centre, local BJP leaders such as corporators may have made them legally for legitimate voter list revisions, not the candidate directly. Patil claimed over 30,000 bogus votes existed among minorities in Gulbarga North and accused Congress of potential manipulation. Congress minister Priyank Kharge countered that investigations proved BJP foul play, promising all responsible persons would face justice. The case also involves BJP leader Subhash Guttedar, who lost Aland in 2023. After SIT raids on his properties and those of his sons, Guttedar claimed authorities found nothing, dismissing allegations that documents were burnt before raids as routine Deepavali cleaning.
Origin of Aland Investigation
The probe began when Congress candidate B R Patil alleged fraudulent voter deletions during the Election Commission's list revision between December 2022 and February 2023. Having lost Aland to Subhash Guttedar by just 697 votes in 2018, Patil remained vigilant and complained that over 6,670 names across 254 booths were targeted for removal using actual voter identities without their knowledge. The Aland Returning Officer filed a police complaint on February 21, 2023. Election officials verified that 6,018 deletion applications were filed remotely, with only 24 being legitimate cases of voters no longer residing in Aland. The SIT is investigating how data centre operators gained nearly instantaneous access to the Election Commission portal, using over 3,000 fake phone numbers to submit deletion requests. Patil and his supporters maintained these deletions specifically targeted Congress stronghold booths.
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