Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala police team probing the alleged malpractice in the Youth Congress election has confirmed that it has received evidence to prove that fake voter identity cards were handed over to the workers ahead of the polls. It is learnt that workers who are in police custody are loyalists of newly elected Youth Congress president Rahul Mamkoottathil.
The probe team on Tuesday took four Youth Congress workers -- Abhi Vikram, Feny, Binil Binu and Vikas Krishna -- into custody from Pathanamthitta in connection with the case. A total of 24 fake ID cards were reportedly seized from these people, said police. Apart from fake voter ID cards, laptops and mobile phones were also seized from them during the raids at their residences. Police have retrieved the files of the fake identity cards deleted from the mobile phones and laptops of the suspects with the help of cyber experts.
Manorama News reported that police have recovered digital evidence against Abhi and Binil for sharing these fake ID cards with some people through WhatsApp. It is learnt that the four workers haven't confessed to the crime yet.
Sources, however, point out that the Election Commission has to confirm whether the voter ID cards are fake or not. Police will initiate further action in the case only after receiving a report from the commission in this regard, they added.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that a factional feud within the Youth Congress led to the allegations of election fraud. According to reports, a group of Youth Congress workers not pleased with Rahul Mamkoottathil's election raised a complaint about using fake IDs.
The Case
The allegations of using fake voter ID cards had cropped up two days after the Youth Congress announced Rahul Mankoottathil as winner of the organisational polls.
A case was registered in the matter on the direction of the Chief Electoral Officer of the state, who had received complaints that fake voter ID cards were used during the Youth Congress organisational polls. An eight-member special investigation team was constituted to probe the case.
An FIR has been registered in the matter under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 471 (Using as genuine a forged document).
Earlier, the police had said that a mobile app was used for creating the fake IDs and its developer were being probed.
Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay M Kaul had on November 17 forwarded the complaints his office received to the state police chief, urging appropriate action against the culprits involved in the fraud. But the Youth Congress had denied the allegations.
BJP state president K Surendran had accused a faction of the Congress in Kerala of creating fake voter ID cards and warned of its serious implications, suggesting potential misuse in general elections and for acquiring SIM cards. He blamed a Congress MLA for the creation of an application for creating fake IDs and claimed that top Congress leaders, including K C Venugopal and V D Satheesan, were aware of it.
CPM state secretary M V Govindan had said it was a serious matter and called for an urgent and comprehensive investigation. The Left party had approached the Election Commission, expressing concern that the use of fake voter ID cards could pose a significant threat to democracy.
(With PTI inputs)
