Investigation Underway in Bengal to Detect Fraudulent EPIC Registrations
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Kolkata, Dec 28 (NationPress) The office of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer has resolved to conduct a meticulous review of the voters' list in select districts that share an international boundary with Bangladesh. This decision follows intelligence inputs indicating that individuals affiliated with Bangladeshi extremist factions have successfully enrolled as voters.
Insiders from the CEO office revealed that this scrutiny commenced in the border district of Murshidabad, after it was discovered that Shad Radi, also known as Shab Sheikh, a recently apprehended member of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a fundamentalist group based in Bangladesh, had not only registered as a voter in Murshidabad but also in two different Assembly constituencies within the district—namely Kandi and Hariharpara.
Sources mentioned that the examination is aimed at determining whether similar occurrences exist in the district. In later phases, the voters' list will undergo similar scrutiny in other districts of the state, particularly those adjacent to Bangladesh.
In addition to the case in Murshidabad, there have been reports of the same EPIC number being assigned to different voters in West Bengal and Gujarat.
Sources indicated that the CEO office is treating these issues with utmost seriousness, as counterfeit EPIC cards represent a crucial component in the network of fraudulent Indian documents being utilized by illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
According to investigative officials, the initial step in this process involves acquiring fake ration cards, followed by counterfeit EPIC cards. The subsequent stages include fake PAN cards and Aadhaar cards, culminating in the production of fake passports.
“If the chain can be disrupted at the second stage, which involves fake EPIC cards, it could lead to the automatic breakdown of the subsequent stages. Concurrently, the CEO office has instructed officials at all levels to exercise extreme caution when verifying documents for new EPIC card applicants,” a source stated.
