Voter data case: Officials get stay against probe

The investigation into the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) voters’ data tampering case involving Chilume, an NGO, and BBMP revenue officials has hit a hurdle, as some of the accused BBMP officials, who received notices, have got a stay against police investigation.

A police officer from Halasuru Gate police station said the revenue officials got the stay order on December 22. “We were about to issue notices to a few more officials for the inquiry. But before that, the stay order copy was served to us against the probe. The BBMP commissioner, who is the head of the institution, is the respondent in this connection and it is left to them to get the stay vacated, allowing us to complete the probe and file a chargesheet,” said a police official.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said since BBMP is the respondent, it will ensure the stay is vacated at the earliest and the probe is completed. Palike sources said that even the BBMP Workers’ Association, which had earlier thrown its weight behind some of the revenue officials, decided to distance itself from the case as heads of the tainted NGO were arrested and the election commission took note of it.

“Since Chilume is accused of tampering with voters’ data and also getting fake Booth Level Officers cards for which some of the revenue officials helped, our advocates have advised us not to interfere and leave it to revenue officials and police,” said the source.