Thrissur Police begins probe into complaint against MoS Suresh Gopi for alleged illegal voter registration

Thrissur, Aug 12 ( IANS) The Thrissur City Police, on Tuesday, initiated a probe into a complaint filed by senior Congress leaders against Union Minister and Member of Parliament Suresh Gopi, alleging illegal voter registration and criminal conspiracy.

Thrissur City Police Commissioner, R. Ilango, confirmed that the complaint has been formally accepted and assigned to the Thrissur Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Salish N. Sankaran, for investigation.

He added that legal opinion will also be sought before proceeding further.

The complaint was lodged by T.N. Prathapan, member of the KPCC Political Affairs Committee, who alleged that Suresh Gopi unlawfully transferred his vote to Thrissur constituency just ahead of the recent Lok Sabha elections.

Prathapan was the Thrissur Lok Sabha member from 2019 to 2024, but decided not to contest the 2024 national polls.

According to the complaint, Suresh Gopi, who is a permanent resident of Thiruvananthapuram, shifted his voter registration to booth number 115 in the Thrissur Assembly constituency by making a "false declaration" and following "illegal means".

Prathapan claimed that this action violated provisions of the Representation of the People Act, which allows voter registration in a constituency only if the individual is a permanent resident there.

The complaint also said that Suresh Gopi and his family have been residing for decades at House No. 22/1788 in the Sasthamangalam division of Thiruvananthapuram Assembly constituency.

Even during the most recent electoral roll revision -- conducted after Suresh Gopi assumed charge as a Union Minister -- the names of Gopi and his family members continued to appear on the Thiruvananthapuram voter list.

"This is clear proof of the electoral manipulation carried out by Suresh Gopi," Prathapan alleged in his submission to the police.

The issue has sparked political attention in Kerala, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been making inroads in Thrissur, a constituency it won for the first time in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls through Suresh Gopi's victory.

The police probe will now examine the authenticity of the documents submitted for voter transfer, the legality of the process, and whether any criminal conspiracy was involved.

In a related development allegations have now surfaced Gopi's brother Subhash Gopi, also holds dual voter registrations.

According to reports, Subhash Gopi's name appears in both the Thrissur and Kollam electoral rolls.

In Kollam, his voter registration is linked to the family home, "Lakshmi Nivas", with voting rights in booth number 84 of the Eravipuram Assembly constituency.

However, it remains unconfirmed whether he actually cast a vote there in the last election.

--IANS

sg/khz