Lieutenant-Governor VK Saxena, based on a recommendation by the Delhi Lokayukta, has directed police to register a First Information Report (FIR) against former Congress MLA and vice-president of Delhi Congress Jai Kishan for allegedly preparing “bogus” voter identity cards.
However, Kishan, five-time MLA from Delhi’s Sultanpur Majra Assembly constituency, rubbished the charge and said that it is “politically motivated”. The Lokayukta recommended criminal action against Kishan for “interfering with fair election process”, sources at the L-G’s office said, adding the allegations had surfaced in 2013-14.
“The L-G has directed criminal action against former MLA Jai Kishan after he was prima facie found to have indulged in preparing bogus voter identity cards at his own residential address to interfere with the electoral process and for undue electoral gains,” the sources said.
The L-G, after examination of the Lokayukta report recommending criminal action against Kishan, has directed the Vigilance Department to issue necessary directions to the Delhi Police Commissioner for registering a FIR against him under the provisions of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other appropriate statutes, they said.
Kishan told The Pioneer that only 13 voter ID cards were present in his residence which belonged to his family members and relatives.
The former MLA claimed that the charges against him were “baseless”. “Do you think I won five elections by forging a handful of voter identity cards. It’s a politically-motivated action against me by the BJP,” Kishan said.
“Hundreds of people used to meet me for their work as I was MLA for 20-25 years. I had employed staff to help me attend them and some of those staff members used to stay at my residence that has 15-16 rooms. Maybe some of them gave the address in their voter identity cards,” Kishan said.