Suspended cop peddles fake news about ‘EVM manipulation’ in 2024 Maharashtra polls, Congress ecosystem amplifies lies, ECI debunks claims
On Friday (18th April), the Election Commission of India (ECI) debunked lies, peddled by suspended cop Ranjeet Kasale and amplified by the Congress ecosystem, about EVM tampering in the 2024 Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha election.
Kasale, who was recently suspended from his post of police sub-inspector, claimed on Thursday (17th April) that BJP MLA Dhananjay Munde won from the Parli constituency through EVM manipulation.
The disgraced cop also alleged that he was offered ₹10 lakhs to stay silent. He claimed, “On polling day, ₹10 lakh was deposited into my account. Of that, I returned ₹7.5 lakh. The remaining amount was used for personal expenses.”
Screengrab of the viral tweet
“I was deployed in Parli during the election. Munde was elected through improper means. That’s the truth the public must know,” Ranjeet Kasale further alleged.
The unsubstantiated claims peddled by the suspended cop was further amplified by the Congress ecosystem.
Party troll Ankit Mayank tweeted, “MASSIVE BREAKING…EVMs Manipulation Exposed…He is Police Officer Ranjit Kasle, who was posted on election duty in Beed, Maharashtra. He claims he was given ₹10 lakhs to keep quite about tampering & removal of EVMs from strong room. This is HUGE. WATCH & SHARE”
The Truth behind the fake claims of Ranjeet Kasale
In a letter written to the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra on Saturday (18th April), the Beed district election officer Avinash Pathak punctured the lies of the disgraced cop and the Congress trolls.
“It is observed that during the period of the General Assembly Elections 2024, Ranjit Kasale, the dismissed Police Sub-Inspector, was not assigned any duty related to the election process in the Parli Assembly Constituency, including during the polling process, the strong room security, or vote counting arrangements,” Pathak emphasised.
He pointed out that the disgraced cop was not part of any election duty in the 2024 Maharashtra polls and was instead posted at the Beed Cyber Police Station.
“Moreover, during the entire election period, the dismissed PSI Ranjit Kasale was not assigned any election-related duty. During this time, Mr. Kasale was posted at the Beed Cyber Police Station,” the Beed district election officer highlighted.
Besides reiterating the robust security measures that were deployed to ensure free and fair election, Avinash Pathak added, “No complaints of EVM tampering have been received so far. Upon reviewing the said video on social media, the allegations made appear to be baseless and without merit.“
He questioned the deplorable track record of the suspended cop and the past statements that he has made under the influence of alcohol to create sensationalism.
“Ranjit Kasale, who is currently a dismissed Police Sub-Inspector, has a habitual tendency to make baseless, irresponsible, and inappropriate statements on social media. He has repeatedly made highly defamatory and unfounded remarks against the Hon’ble Minister, various public representatives, and senior police officer,” Pathak said.
He concluded, “Notably, he has admitted in a video that he often appears on social media under the influence of alcohol while making such statements. This behavior not only reflects personal indiscipline but is also a serious concern from the perspective of public order and law enforcement. In conclusion, the allegations made by Mr. Ranjeet Kasale appear, to be unfounded, baseless, and aimed at casting unwarranted doubts on the election process.”
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