Ajit Anjum’s viral video on Patna voter list misleading, says EC, district administration
Patna: The Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Patna district administration have firmly rejected the allegations made in a viral video shared by YouTuber Ajit Anjum, which claimed that a Booth Level Officer (BLO) was seen filling out and signing multiple voter forms during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
Labeling the video as “false and misleading,” the ECI responded to social media posts by political figures, including RJD MP Manoj Jha, who had questioned the authenticity of the process and asked whether such acts were also to be considered misleading. In a public reply, the ECI directed users to a clarification issued by the Patna district administration.
The District Returning Officer-cum-District Magistrate of Patna, Tyagarajan S.M., confirmed that an internal investigation had been conducted, and statements were recorded from the concerned BLOs. Those named in the inquiry include Rani Kumari (Booth 226), Vijay Kumar (Booth 32), Sanjeet Kumar (Booth 224), Raj Kishore Singh (Booth 25), and Amit Kumar (Booth 260).
According to the administration, these officers were in the process of compiling lists of deceased voters and individuals who have permanently migrated out of Bihar. These lists are intended to be verified with Booth Level Agents (BLAs) from various political parties before finalisation to prevent the exclusion of any genuine voter.
Importantly, the administration noted that the viral video in question was recorded and circulated before the final draft of the electoral list was ready. For instance, Rani Kumari clarified that out of 878 voters at her booth, the partial list of 725 voters shown in the video had not been finalised at the time of filming.
The administration asserted that the BLOs were acting under the instructions of the District Returning Officer and within the procedural norms of the SIR process. The claims made in the video, it concluded, were misleading and failed to represent the ongoing work accurately.
In its statement, the district administration also cautioned journalists and content creators against publishing reports without verifying facts or seeking the administration’s version. It appealed to the public to remain vigilant against misinformation that could distort the democratic process.
The controversy erupted after the video titled “Caught on camera: BLO found filling and signing thousands of voter forms in Patna” was uploaded on July 16, leading to sharp political criticism and calls for action.
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Meghalaya: Interstate ATM theft racket busted, 6 arrested
Shillong (PTI): An interstate racket involved in ATM thefts across several states has been busted, with the arrest of six persons in connection with a break-in at an electronic banking outlet in Meghalaya's Ri-Bhoi district, police said on Wednesday.
The accused were allegedly involved in breaking into an ATM of the Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank on April 5, 2024, they said.
Three of the accused were arrested from Barpeta in Assam, while the remaining were apprehended from Haryana, police said.
Ri-Bhoi SP Giri Prasad M said a special police team was constituted to investigate the case.
"With coordinated efforts and assistance from Assam and Haryana Police, we were able to apprehend the accused involved in the ATM break-in," he told PTI.
The case was registered at Umiam police station under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to police, the gang used gas cutters to break open the ATM safe and fled with the cash within minutes.
"The group is part of a larger network involved in similar ATM thefts across different states. Further investigation is underway to dismantle the entire network," the SP added.
