Alanda: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Karnataka Police, probing irregularities in the voter list ahead of the 2023 elections in the Alanda Assembly constituency of Karnataka, has uncovered shocking financial trails.TIMEX Classics Analog Watch for Men with Round Dial & Water Resistant Man's Wrist Watches

The SIT has disclosed that Rs 80 was paid for each fake voter deletion application (Form 7).

Key Findings of the SIT Probe: Payment per Deletion: The investigation revealed that Rs 80 was paid to operators at a data centre for submitting each forged Form 7 application to delete names from the voter list.

Number of Applications and Total Payment: Between December 2022 and February 2023, a total of 6,018 fake deletion applications were filed, with approximately Rs 4.8 lakh disbursed for the operation. The activity was orchestrated from a data centre or cyber hub in Kalaburagi district headquarters.Also Read; Reliance Industries & Meta Joint Venture Partnership: A Major Step in India's AI Sector

These fake applications primarily targeted Dalit and minority community voters in the Alanda constituency, as alleged by Congress leaders. Ground verification by election officials confirmed that only 24 out of the 6,018 names sought for deletion were legitimate (e.g., voters who had relocated), while the rest were fraudulent.

In connection with the case, the SIT recently raided properties linked to former BJP MLA Subhash Guttedar, his sons, and their chartered accountant, seizing over seven laptops and mobile phones. Guttedar, a four-time MLA who lost the 2023 election to Congress's B.R. Patil by 10,347 votes, has denied any involvement, calling the allegations politically motivated.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has termed the Alanda incident "vote chori" (vote theft), describing it as a direct assault on democracy. The probe, which gained momentum after initial delays due to lack of cooperation from the Election Commission, continues to trace the funding sources and unauthorized access to the EC portal.