On November 17, the BJP government in Karnataka ordered an investigation into the alleged collection of voter data by fraud, impersonation, and breach of trust by the ‘Chilume Group’ after the Opposition Congress party accused the BJP of being at the centre of efforts to collect data and manipulate voter lists ahead of the 2023 state elections.

The BBMP has registered two FIRs over the alleged fraud and impersonation of booth level officers by workers hired by Chilume for data collection. The police have arrested as many as 10 people in the case so far, including the director of Chilume Enterprises, Ravikumar Krishnappa, three others from the firm, and four BBMP revenue officers.

The investigation of a voter data theft case in Bengaluru has revealed that Chilume Educational Cultural and Rural Development Trust, which was awarded a contract to carry out voter awareness by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), collected personal information of voters in violation of fundamental rights, a local court in Bengaluru has observed while rejecting an anticipatory bail plea of a Chilume Trust official.