The Delhi Police has registered a case against four individuals in connection with forgery in Voter ID card applications for the purpose of new voter registration and address shifting after the Election office flagged such suspicious cases to them in southeast Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh.

On Wednesday, the Election Commission flagged four such suspicious cases to the Delhi Police, following which the police registered cases under section 336 (Forgery for the purpose of cheating) and Section 340 BNS (Using forged documents as genuine). “It is to inform you that certain applicants have submitted online applications for voter registration through Form-6 and Form-8 by fraudulent means. These applicants have uploaded false documents, which have been tampered with, in support of their applications,” the Election Registration Officer stated.

The accused includes Md. Jamil Alam, for submitting forged Aadhar Card, and Kisunce, Mohd. Naim, and Sabana Khatoon, for submitting a tampered electricity bill. “The Delhi Police, Shaheen Bagh police station, has registered a case following a complaint received from the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of AC-52 (Okhla). The complaint highlights serious instances of forgery in voter ID card applications, where fake documents were submitted by four individuals for the purpose of new voter registration and address shifting,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Ravi Kumar Singh said.

He added that the applicants attempted to misuse these documents for shifting their registered address for voting purposes and registering as new voters in the constituency. “The investigation is ongoing to identify the accused individuals and any possible accomplices or networks involved in these fraudulent activities,” the DCP added.

In its letter, the ERO said, “It has been found that the applicants have attempted to deceive the authorities by tampering with documents, including Aadhar Cards and electricity bills, as proof of identity and residence.”

Describing it as ‘a serious offence’, it added that the applicants have intentionally provided false information and documents to manipulate the electoral roll. “The Representation of the People Act, 1950, and other relevant laws prohibit such activities and provide for penalties for those found guilty,” it said.

The ERO asked the police to take prompt action to investigate the cases and prevent such fraudulent activities in the future. “The police is requested to verify the documents and information provided by the applicants and take necessary actions against those found guilty of tampering with documents,” the letter read, while also providing supporting documents as evidence.

Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP welcomed the decision of ERO to lodge a police case and take legal action against four Muslim applicants seeking registration as voters in the assembly area on the basis of tempered documents. Reacting on the issue, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said, “A Delhi BJP delegation had met the Chief Election Commissioner of India and other Election Commissions and requested that bogus voters and bogus vote applicants need to checked and legal action be taken to check bogus votes of Muslim Bangladeshis and Rohingyas getting registered.”