Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, based on a recommendation by Delhi Lokayukta, has directed police to register an FIR against former Congress MLA Jai Kishan for allegedly preparing “bogus” voter identity cards.
However, Mr Kishan, five-time MLA from Delhi’s Sultanpur Majra assembly constituency, rubbished the charge and said that it is “politically motivated”.
The Lokayukta recommended criminal action against Kishan for “interfering with fair election process”, sources at LG office said, adding the allegations had surfaced in 2013-14.
“The LG has directed for criminal action against former MLA Jai Kishan after he was prima facie found to have indulged in preparing bogus voter identity cards at his own residential address to interfere with electoral process and undue electoral gains,” the sources said.
The lieutenant governor, after examination of the Lokayukta report recommending criminal action against Mr Kishan, has directed the vigilance department to issue necessary directions to the Delhi Police commissioner for registering an FIR against the former MLA, they said.
The former MLA claimed that the charges against him were “baseless”.
“Do you think I won five elections through forging a handful of voter identity cards. It’s a politically motivated action against me by the BJP,” Mr Kishan told PTI.
“Hundreds of people used to meet me for their work as I was MLA for 20-25 years. I had employed staff to help me attend them and some of those staff members used to stay at my residence that has 15-16 rooms. Maybe some of them gave the address in their voter identity cards,” Kishan said.
The Lt Governor’s direction for FIR against the former Congress MLA came in the wake of the Lokayukta order dated April 26 this year.
A detailed report was sought from the vigilance department, which noted that “the residence of ex-MLA Jai Kishan was misused for preparation of bogus voter identity cards and no voter ID card can be issued without the consent of the property owner,” said the sources.
The Lokayukta in its report had observed that Jai Kishan was found responsible for getting “fake” voter ID cards prepared at his own residential address in favour of persons who were not living at his residence, they said.
The vigilance department’s report was also endorsed by the chief secretary who further suggested to send a copy of the report to the chief electoral officer with regards to the “bogus” voter ID cards.
