A 65-year-old Sri Lankan Tamil national holding a Sri Lankan passport was arrested for illegally casting his vote in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections. Immigration authorities apprehended him at Chennai International Airport on Wednesday. To date, approximately 20 foreign passport holders have been arrested for illegally voting in Tamil Nadu.
Details of the Arrest
The arrested individual, identified as Abraham, originally hails from Aruppukottai in Tamil Nadu but currently resides in France. He was traveling on a Sri Lankan passport and was scheduled to board an IndiGo flight to France via Doha from Chennai airport in the early hours of Wednesday.
Following an inquiry, immigration authorities canceled his journey, detained him for questioning, and later decided to hand him over to the Anti-Passport Wing of the Chennai Central Crime Branch police for further legal action. Officials also informed the Election Commission of India about the arrest particulars.
Background of the Incident
The voting for the Tamil Nadu assembly was held on April 23. Following a tip-off that overseas citizens of India card holders and foreign nationals of Indian origin traveled to Tamil Nadu and voted illegally, the Election Commission of India intensified surveillance at international airports across the state.
As part of the monitoring exercise, immigration officials at airports in Chennai, Tiruchi, Madurai, and Coimbatore examined the fingerprints of outbound international passengers during immigration clearance. Officials checked for indelible ink marks used during the election polling.
How Abraham Was Caught
While verifying Abraham at Chennai International Airport, immigration officers found the ink mark on his left index finger, indicating that he cast his vote in the Assembly elections. Abraham, though originally from Tamil Nadu, held Sri Lankan citizenship and traveled from France to Aruppukottai last month. Investigators found that he cast his vote at a polling booth in his hometown before attempting to return to France.
Ongoing Investigations
Authorities said 19 persons have been arrested so far over illegal voting and attempts to leave the country through airports in Tamil Nadu during the past two weeks. The Election Commission continues to monitor the situation closely.
