Aland voter fraud case: SIT chargesheets former BJP MLA Subhash Guttedar, son among seven
Aland voter fraud case:In a major development in the Aland voter fraud case from Kalaburagi district, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Friday filed a chargesheet before the APMM court in Bengaluru. Sources said the CID-led probe has established the role of an influential political leader in the alleged vote theft during the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.
The chargesheet names seven accused, including former BJP MLA Subhash Guttedar and his son Harshanand. Running into nearly 22,000 pages, the document details the alleged conspiracy, execution, and digital trail behind the large-scale manipulation of electoral rolls in the Aland Assembly constituency.
According to SIT sources, the investigation has conclusively established Subhash Guttedar’s involvement in the voter fraud. The probe found that as many as 5,994 votes were illegally deleted using a call centre-based operation. Investigators have also stated that money was allegedly paid by the former MLA to facilitate the manipulation of voter data.
The SIT was constituted on the orders of the state government and functioned under the leadership of CID ADGP B.K. Singh. Officials said crucial digital evidence seized during raids played a key role in substantiating the charges. The chargesheet reportedly describes both father and son as the main accused in planning and executing the voter deletion exercise.
The filing of the chargesheet has acquired political significance as it comes just ahead of the Congress party’s planned protest in Delhi over alleged “vote theft.” Party leaders see the SIT’s findings as strengthening their narrative against the BJP on electoral malpractice. Congress leaders have already been citing the Aland case as a serious threat to democratic processes and have demanded strict action against those responsible.
The Aland voter fraud case had triggered statewide controversy after allegations surfaced that thousands of voters were selectively removed from the rolls ahead of polling. The opposition Congress had accused the BJP of systematically undermining free and fair elections, a charge the BJP has denied.
With the chargesheet now filed, the case is expected to move into the trial stage. Political observers believe the developments could have wider implications, both legally and politically, as debates over electoral integrity intensify at the national level.
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