The Central Crime Branch sleuths busted a fake voter’s identity card racket on Saturday night.
The cards were to be circulated for proxy voting at various places during Sunday’s elections to the Council from the graduates’ constituencies.
Acting on a tip-off, police raided the ground floor of house number 37 on 2nd Main, 3rd Cross, Someshwarnagar, in the Siddapur police limits and arrested eight people.
The suspects are identified as: Mohiddin Khan, 29, a resident of Kalasipalya; Saleem Pasha, 34, Siddapur; Shazid, 32, Kalasipalya; Sadrulla Khan, 28, Someshwarnagar; Hemanth, 21, Kamakshipalya; Krishnamurthy, 26, Sannkki Bayalu; Satish, 21, Srirampura and Mohan, 26 of Kaveripura.
The prime suspect, Mohin, a notorious rowdy-sheeter, is on the run.
A total of 138 counterfeit identity cards were confiscated, of which 65 were for the Bangalore South, 57 for KR Puram, 14 for Uttarahalli and two for Yelahanka.
The police also seized all electronic gadgets used to create the cards, including six laptops, a web camera, a scanner, three printers, a laminating machine, a cutting machine and an electoral roll of voters for the graduates’ constituencies.
In addition, 13 cellphones, hologram stickers, lamination covers and nine fake seals were seized.
Mohin has been allegedly involved in several murders and attempted murders. He is also a known associate of leaders from a regional party in Karnataka.
Police suspect that he handled ‘crucial matters’ for the party during BBMP elections.
Central Crime Branch sleuths also believe that Mohin may have started the racket on the instructions of a few
leaders.
According to police, the gang had plans to help proxy voting at various graduates’ constituencies.
They also gathered information about genuine candidates including names, addresses and other details.
A web camera was used to take photos of fake voters. A fake seal of the returning officer was employed as were phoney holograms of the Bhoomi project, under which land records are issued.
The gang also prepared fake identity cards akin to the ones issued by the Election Commission of India.
B Dayanand, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime, East Division) said: “Mohin pooled in other suspects.”
“They started their racket just a week ago. All the eight arrested are first time offenders and were forced into the racket by Mohin. It is not known whether any big names are involved.”