The special investigation team (SIT) probing allegations of illegal deletion of voters’ names from electoral rolls in Karnataka’s Aland assembly constituency during the 2023 assembly elections, claimed on Saturday to have found the partially charred remnants of a large number of documents— suspected to be electoral records, at the Aland residence of former BJP MLA Subhash Guttedar.
After the discovery was intimated, superintendent of police (CID) Shubhanvita and deputy superintendent of police Aslam Pasha rushed to the spot, officers aware of the develoment said, adding that earlier, on Friday night, CID inspector Sharangouda led a recovery team which found bundles of half-burnt records allegedly dumped into the Amarja River.
Menwhile, Gutedar accused sitting MLA B.R. Patil of making false allegations of voter fraud against him in a bid to impress Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and secure a ministerial position in the state cabinet.
Addressing a press conference at the Kalaburagi Press Club on Saturday, Gutedar said, “B.R. Patil had earlier accused me of being involved in 23 murders, but the truth has since come out — I had no role in any of them. Now, to please his high command and push for a cabinet berth, he is making baseless allegations again.”
Referring to the recent discovery, Gutedar claimed, “Ahead of Diwali, my house in Aland was being cleaned by domestic workers. They burned unwanted papers. As a politician, is it unusual for voter lists or pamphlets to be found in my house? If I really wanted to destroy evidence, would I do it openly in front of my home? Anyone involved in wrongdoing would have disposed of such documents far away from their residence.”
{{/usCountry}}Referring to the recent discovery, Gutedar claimed, “Ahead of Diwali, my house in Aland was being cleaned by domestic workers. They burned unwanted papers. As a politician, is it unusual for voter lists or pamphlets to be found in my house? If I really wanted to destroy evidence, would I do it openly in front of my home? Anyone involved in wrongdoing would have disposed of such documents far away from their residence.”
{{/usCountry}}He further criticized the current MLA’s performance, saying, “Not a single notable development work has taken place in Aland constituency. To cover up his failures, B.R. Patil is resorting to false accusations. During the Kalyana Karnataka Utsav, when the Chief Minister visited our district, he went to Delhi just to impress Rahul Gandhi. He didn’t even attend the Vimochana Diwas flag-hoisting ceremony,” Gutedar alleged.
Gutedar added that he was ready to fully cooperate with the ongoing voter fraud investigation. “I have nothing to hide. Even if I have to go to jail, I will fight for justice through the court, and I am confident that the truth will prevail,” he asserted.