SIT submits chargesheet in alleged Aland vote theft case

BENGALURU: A special investigation team ((SIT) has filed a chargesheet in a court in Bengaluru related to the alleged vote theft case in Aland Legislative Assembly constituency. The 22‑thousand‑page chargesheet names former legislator Subhash Guttedar, his son Harshanand, and six others as accused.

It states that a call centre was used to delete 5,994 voter names and that former legislator Subash Guttedar paid money for the ‘vote theft’. Digital evidence obtained during the raid confirms the act, the chargesheet says, and the father‑son duo are cited as the main culprits.

Following allegations of vote theft by Congress legislator B R Patil, the government formed an SIT under the leadership of former IPS officer B K Singh. Fearing arrest, Subhash Guttedar and his son Harshanand have already obtained bail.

A Congress‑organised protest against vote‑theft is scheduled on Sunday in Delhi. The SIT’s filing of the chargesheet ahead of the protest is seen as a major victory for the Congress.

Harshanand Guttedar, who was arrested in Aland vote‑theft attempt case, responding to Public TV in connection with the SIT chargesheet, said, “We have not yet received any information. They gave a notice on Monday and obtained a statement. We gave a statement saying we have no role”.

“Congress leader B R Patil won the 2023 election. In two years there has been no development in this case. Because the government is Congress, they used officials and included my father’s and my name”, he claimed.

“When Rahul Gandhi raised this issue, B R Patil used it to get close to Rahul Gandhi and become a minister. Our role is firm; let it be proved in court. No laptop was found in our house. We have no information about the contents in the chargesheet. We will examine the chargesheet through our lawyer; we have confidence in the court”, he said.

“This is an attempt to set a narrative against the BJP. People have rejected Congress, so they are calling it vote theft. In Delhi, Rahul Gandhi is holding a vote theft convention. In that convention the BJP’s name is in the chargesheet; they have hurriedly filed the chargesheet to send a message to the country; we have confidence in the courts”, Harshanand said.