Six Arrested in Voter ID Fraud Cases in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh
"Delhi Police arrests six individuals in Shaheen Bagh voter ID fraud cases involving forged documents and misuse of technology. Learn about the investigation and arrests."
New Delhi: The Delhi Police has arrested six individuals in connection with voter ID fraud in the Shaheen Bagh area.
The arrests were made in two separate cases involving the use of forged documents to obtain or modify voter ID cards, highlighting a systematic misuse of technology and fraudulent practices.
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Complaints and Investigation Timeline
On December 25, the police received a complaint from Vinod Kumar, the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) from Okhla. Kumar alleged that four individuals had applied for voter ID cards or address changes using forged documents.
A case was registered on December 26 under Sections 336 (Forgery for cheating) and 340 (Using forged documents as genuine) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) at the Shaheen Bagh police station.
A similar complaint was lodged on December 29 by Kumar, reporting four applications for new voter registrations made using forged documents. Another case was subsequently registered under the same sections of the BNS.
Arrests and Identifications
Following an active investigation, the police traced the addresses of the accused and arrested six individuals:
- Mohammad Naim (32): An electrician and resident of Shaheen Bagh, he applied for an address change in his voter ID using a forged electricity bill.
- Rizwan Ul Haq (30): Owner of a cyber cafe in Shaheen Bagh and a resident of Jamia Nagar, he forged the electricity bill for Mohammad Naim using Photoshop.
- Sabana Khatoon (37): A housewife from Shaheen Bagh, she applied for a voter ID address change using a forged electricity bill.
- Rajat Srivastava (27): A cyber cafe operator from Faridabad, he used online PDF editing tools to forge documents. Rajat was involved in both cases registered at the Shaheen Bagh police station.
- Sachin Kumar (27): A housekeeping staff member at a hospital in Malviya Nagar, he sought the assistance of Trilok Chand to create forged documents for his uncle.
- Trilok Chand (51): A private tuition teacher from Chirag Dilli, Chand collaborated with Rajat Srivastava to produce forged documents.
Methods Used in Forgery
The investigation revealed that the accused utilized advanced tools and software to manipulate documents, including:
- Photoshop for creating fake utility bills.
- Online PDF editing tools to alter document details.
- Personal computers for generating and printing forged documents.
The police seized a personal computer during the investigation, which was allegedly used to produce fake documents. Evidence indicates a coordinated network exploiting technology for electoral fraud.
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Motives Behind the Fraud
- Mohammad Naim and Sabana Khatoon aimed to update their voter ID addresses using falsified documents.
- Sachin Kumar sought forged papers to transfer land ownership from his deaf and mute uncle.
- Trilok Chand and Rajat Srivastava were key collaborators, facilitating the creation of multiple forged documents.
Ongoing Investigation
The Delhi Police is working to identify and apprehend other individuals connected to the forgery network. The authorities are also examining the extent of the misuse of technology in these cases and its implications for electoral integrity.
Implications and Preventive Measures
These incidents underscore the vulnerability of the electoral registration system to fraudulent practices. The Delhi Police emphasized the importance of stricter verification processes and technological safeguards to prevent such malpractices.
By cracking down on such networks, the authorities aim to uphold the integrity of the electoral system and deter future attempts at voter ID fraud. The investigation remains active, with further arrests and preventive measures expected to follow.
