The police have registered criminal cases against almost four people in case of bogus voting in Kasaragod.
Cases were registered against four people in Kasaragod regarding bogus voting in the district. Among the people against whom cases were registered were Panchayat member M.V. Salini, former Panchayat member KP Sumya and Padmini who were members of the Communist-Marxist Party of India. Besides the party members another man K Shyamkumar resident of Karakkad has also been accused of bogus voting.
It was the Congress party that put out the video of bogus voting in the district for the first time. After the video exposed the bogus voting in the district and Chief Electoral Officer Teeka Ram Meena confirmed it, CPM justified the video saying those were ‘open votes’ which the CPM cast during general elections.
The accused in bogus voting have been charged under IPC 171 A ( Wearing garb or carrying token used by public servant with fraudulent intent), C (Undue influence at elections), D ( Personation at elections) and F (Punishment for undue influence or personation at an election).
Besides bogus voting by CPM candidates two IUML candidates were also accused of the same in the state. This was confirmed by Kasaragod district collector D Sajith Babu. two accused in the case were identified as Muhammed Fayiz and Hashiq.