Sri Lankan booked for voting in TN assembly election

Madurai: A 59-year-old Sri Lankan national was booked by Madurai city police on Saturday after immigration officials discovered he had obtained Indian identity documents and cast a vote in the recent Tamil Nadu assembly elections.Police said the accused, Murugesh, was doing export business and left India to Sri Lanka on Thursday and returned on Saturday when immigration authorities caught him during routine checks at Madurai International AirportOfficials noticed indelible ink marks on his fingers and found out that despite his Sri Lankan nationality, he obtained an Indian voter ID and Aadhaar card using an address in Lena Vilakku, Thirumayam taluk of Pudukottai district.

Using the documents, he reportedly cast his vote from the Thirumayam constituency.Based on a complaint filed by immigration officer Arunkumar, the Avaniyapuram police registered a case against Murugesh under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act.Preliminary investigation revealed that though he was born in Sri Lanka, his parents were Indian and born in India.

They came to India during the Sri Lankan civil war and Murugesh obtained Indian identity documents.Further investigation is on. Earlier on May 20, Anton Rosario Nixon, a 51-year-old Sri Lankan citizen residing in Tuticorin, was arrested at Madurai International Airport on similar charges while attempting to travel to Sri Lanka. He was subsequently released on bail.