Election Commission Rejects EVM Tampering Allegations by Ex-Police Officer

No Basis for Claims of EVM Removal, Says Election Body

The Election Commission has dismissed allegations made by a former Maharashtra Police officer, Ranjeet Kasale, that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were tampered with during the 2024 Assembly election to favor Nationalist Congress Party leader Dhananjay Munde.

Disciplinary Measures Against Kasale

Kasale, described as a “disgruntled police officer,” faces disciplinary action for his claims. He was last posted with the Beed cyber police.

Kasale’s Tampering Claims

On Thursday, Kasale told reporters in Pune that Rs 10 lakh was deposited into his bank account on November 23, the polling day. He claimed that the payment was a bribe to keep quiet about the removal of EVMs from a strong room in Parli constituency, Beed district.

• Kasale said he used Rs 2.5 lakh for personal expenses and returned the remaining Rs 7.5 lakh.
• Munde won the Parli seat and was later appointed as a Cabinet minister.

Munde’s Resignation and Kasale’s Arrest

Munde resigned in March amid growing calls for him to step down after his aide Walmik Karad was named as an accused in the December murder of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.

Kasale was arrested from Pune on Friday in an unrelated case under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act.

Dismissal of Kasale’s Claims

Earlier this week, Kasale alleged that he was offered between Rs 10-50 crore to kill Karad in a staged gunfight. The Beed police dismissed the claim.

The Election Commission stated that Kasale’s allegations aimed to disturb public peace and tranquility, inciting people for violence against the state.

Beed District Election Officer Avinash Pathak dismissed Kasale’s claims in a report to Maharashtra’s chief electoral officer on Saturday. Pathak wrote that Kasale was not assigned any election-related duty in the Parli Assembly Constituency during the 2024 General Assembly Elections.

Pathak described Kasale’s allegations as “unfounded, baseless, and aimed at casting unwarranted doubts on the election process.”