Bengaluru voter data theft: Man accused of handing out fake ID cards arrested

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had entrusted Chilume Educational Cultural and Rural Development Trust with the task of conducting house-to-house surveys to create awareness on applying online for voter IDs through a voter helpline mobile app. The NGO, however, allegedly collected personal information about voters illegally, with few members posing as government officials.

According to the Halasuru Gate police, Lokesh was a close associate of prime accused Ravi Kumar. He has been named in two FIRs, one registered in Kadugodi and another in Halasuru Gate police station, and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Srinivas Gowda said that he is currently being questioned about certain irregularities in the case. The police are also investigating how he procured the IDs and a possible nexus with certain revenue officials.

Lokesh was on the run ever since the cases were registered against him and was caught from the outskirts of Bengaluru.

Apart from Lokesh, the police have arrested Ravi Kumar, the NGO’s founder director; Renuka Prasad, one of the directors; Dharanesh, the NGO’s HR chief, Kumar’s brother Kempegowda; and application developer Sajeev Shetty.