<p>The Congress lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission on Saturday demanding criminal action against Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai whom the party dubbed as the “kingpin” of the voter data theft scandal. </p>.<p>A Congress delegation led by Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar gave Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Meena a 10-page petition naming Bommai, IT/BT Minister CN Ashwath Narayan and Horticulture Minister Munirathna for “criminal conspiracy”.</p>.<p>Congress asked the CEO to also ensure “immediate seizure” of citizen data and other materials in possession of private persons.</p>.<p>“We asked the CEO to initiate the process for a judicial inquiry. He told us that he would speak to the central election commission about it,” Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah told reporters. </p>.<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-politics/karnataka-cm-bommai-dismisses-congs-demand-for-sitting-judge-to-head-probe-into-voter-data-scam-1163788.html" target="_blank">Bommai dismisses Cong's demand for sitting judge to head probe into voter data scam</a></strong></p>.<p>At a news conference later, AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said prima facie Bommai was the “kingpin” and accused the BJP government of “corrupting the entire electoral process”. </p>.<p>Surjewala, who oversees his party’s affairs in Karnataka, posed 11 questions to the government on the voter data theft scandal involving Malleswaram-based nonprofit Chilume Trust. </p>.<p>“Why has no FIR been lodged against Krishnappa Ravikumar, Byrappa Shruthi and Narsimhamurthy Aishwarya, who are the owners/directors of the above three entities?” Surjewala said. “Where is the stolen personal data of nearly a crore of voters of the 28 assembly constituencies of Bangalore? Where has the data gone?” </p>.<p>Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar claimed that a currency counting machine was found in the Chilume offices. “Why does a nonprofit have this machine?” he asked. </p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/city/top-bengaluru-stories/bbmps-orders-let-ngo-collect-voter-details-1163719.html" target="_blank">BBMP's orders let NGO collect voter details</a></strong></p>.<p><strong>Link with minister?</strong></p>.<p>Speaking in Kolar, former JD(S) chief minister HD Kumaraswamy claimed that police raids on Chilume offices found a blank cheque and letterheads belonging to a minister. He did not say who. “There was money and ID cards also. Why were those things there? What investigation will the government do with such a minister? First, sack that minister,” he said. </p>.<p>He also claimed that 40,000 voters have been removed in booths where JD(S) and Congress are strong. </p>.<p>The JD(S), too, will file a complaint with the Election Commission, Kumaraswamy said. “We need strong action against evil forces that are trying to subvert democracy.”</p>
<p>The Congress lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission on Saturday demanding criminal action against Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai whom the party dubbed as the “kingpin” of the voter data theft scandal. </p>.<p>A Congress delegation led by Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar gave Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Meena a 10-page petition naming Bommai, IT/BT Minister CN Ashwath Narayan and Horticulture Minister Munirathna for “criminal conspiracy”.</p>.<p>Congress asked the CEO to also ensure “immediate seizure” of citizen data and other materials in possession of private persons.</p>.<p>“We asked the CEO to initiate the process for a judicial inquiry. He told us that he would speak to the central election commission about it,” Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah told reporters. </p>.<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-politics/karnataka-cm-bommai-dismisses-congs-demand-for-sitting-judge-to-head-probe-into-voter-data-scam-1163788.html" target="_blank">Bommai dismisses Cong's demand for sitting judge to head probe into voter data scam</a></strong></p>.<p>At a news conference later, AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said prima facie Bommai was the “kingpin” and accused the BJP government of “corrupting the entire electoral process”. </p>.<p>Surjewala, who oversees his party’s affairs in Karnataka, posed 11 questions to the government on the voter data theft scandal involving Malleswaram-based nonprofit Chilume Trust. </p>.<p>“Why has no FIR been lodged against Krishnappa Ravikumar, Byrappa Shruthi and Narsimhamurthy Aishwarya, who are the owners/directors of the above three entities?” Surjewala said. “Where is the stolen personal data of nearly a crore of voters of the 28 assembly constituencies of Bangalore? Where has the data gone?” </p>.<p>Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar claimed that a currency counting machine was found in the Chilume offices. “Why does a nonprofit have this machine?” he asked. </p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/city/top-bengaluru-stories/bbmps-orders-let-ngo-collect-voter-details-1163719.html" target="_blank">BBMP's orders let NGO collect voter details</a></strong></p>.<p><strong>Link with minister?</strong></p>.<p>Speaking in Kolar, former JD(S) chief minister HD Kumaraswamy claimed that police raids on Chilume offices found a blank cheque and letterheads belonging to a minister. He did not say who. “There was money and ID cards also. Why were those things there? What investigation will the government do with such a minister? First, sack that minister,” he said. </p>.<p>He also claimed that 40,000 voters have been removed in booths where JD(S) and Congress are strong. </p>.<p>The JD(S), too, will file a complaint with the Election Commission, Kumaraswamy said. “We need strong action against evil forces that are trying to subvert democracy.”</p>