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Belagavi Sessions Court grants to BJP leader in voter deletion case
In a significant , Dr. Ravi Patil, a BJP leader and medical practitioner, has been granted by the in connection with allegations of fraudulent voter deletion.
The Allegation: A Fabricated Form 7 Campaign
The case originates from a complaint filed by Meerasab Sanadi, a booth-level agent, who alleged that Dr. Patil along with 20-25 others submitted approximately 198 fabricated applications to the during the . The complaint claimed that the accused intended to delete the names of voters belonging to a particular community who were validly residing at the addresses shown in the electoral list. The registered an FIR under multiple sections of the , including 318(4), 336(3), 336(4), 353, 61(2), 3(5), 3(7), and 192 read with 190.
Petitioner’s Plea: Reputation at Stake
Dr. Patil, represented by , argued before the court that he is a medical practitioner hailing from a respectable family and has no connection to the alleged offences. He expressed apprehension that arrest would bring irreparable damage to his reputation and character. While stating his readiness to cooperate with the investigation, he sought interim protection from arrest.
Court’s Reasoning: and Independent Verification
Judge Gangadhara K.N., presiding over the matter, examined the nature of the allegations and the evidence involved. The court observed that the case is primarily based on , as the alleged applications are already with the BLO. Critically, the court noted that election authorities do not automatically act upon submission of such forms but conduct their own inquiry and verification.
“The case is based on and moreover mere submission of Form No.7, the election authority will not automatically act, they will do their own enquiry, verification.”
The court also highlighted the delay in lodging the complaint—the alleged incident occurred on , while the complaint was filed on , a gap of over 8 days. Furthermore, the court emphasized that the proper authority to dispute the validity of the documents is the election authority, not individuals belonging to a particular political party.
Bail Granted with Conditions
Though the offences are , the court noted they are not punishable with . Finding that the petitioner had made out a and faced that could damage his reputation, the court granted .
Dr. Patil was directed to execute a of Rs. 50,000 with one for the like sum. The court imposed conditions requiring him not to threaten or intimidate , refrain from any criminal activities, and appear before the investigating officer when summoned under . The investigating officer was directed to release Patil in the event of his arrest upon furnishing the and .
Implications
The order underscores the judiciary’s recognition that arrest in cases based on may not be necessary, especially when the accused faces potential reputational harm. It also reaffirms the principle that election-related disputes should be resolved by the appropriate authorities through their own verification processes.
