The Market Police have registered an FIR against BJP leader Dr Ravi Patil and around 20–25 others over an alleged attempt to submit Form-7 applications using fake documents and false information to seek the deletion of 198 minority voters from the electoral roll.
The case relates to an incident reported on September 22 at polling Parts 195 and 196 in Veerabhadranagar, Belagavi North.
According to the complaint filed by the Booth Level Officer (BLO) of Ward No. 12 on September 30, the Form-7 applications allegedly targeted Muslim voters whose names were validly present in the electoral roll.
Local residents had reportedly stopped and questioned Dr Ravi Patil, Vijay Hospital staff member Prashant Mundinmani and Shankar Naik, among others, after suspecting that bogus Form-7 applications were being prepared or submitted to remove voters’ names.
The complaint alleges that false information and fake documents were being used in an attempt to submit the applications.
Based on the BLO’s complaint, the Market Police registered Crime No. 218/2026 under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including provisions relating to cheating, forgery, use of false documents, conspiracy and related offences.
The FIR comes amid a wider controversy over bulk Form-7 applications in Belagavi, with questions being raised over the preparation and submission of applications seeking deletion of voters’ names.
Importantly, the FIR concerns an alleged attempt to submit the applications. It does not mean that the 198 voters’ names have been deleted from the electoral roll. Any deletion from the voters’ list is subject to verification and the prescribed Election Commission process.
The allegations against Dr Ravi Patil and the other accused are subject to police investigation.