Gopinath Munde's nephew seeks probe after 'cyber expert' claims the BJP leader was killed

MUMBAI: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and the late union minister Gopinath Munde's nephew Dhananjay Munde has sought a probe into his uncle's death after a man identifying himself as a 'cyber expert' claimed that deceased Bharatiya Janata Party leader was killed as he knew about the hacking of electronic voting machines (EVMs) during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Dhananjay Munde demanded that either the R&AW or a Supreme Court judge should investigate Munde's death in a road accident in Delhi weeks after the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance won the Lok Sabha elections in May 2014.

US hacker claims Gopinath Munde was murdered in 2014 because he knew about EVM hacking. pic.twitter.com/gO815Br1g3 — Zee News (@ZeeNews) January 22, 2019

The so-called 'cyber expert' Syed Shuja also alleged that Tanzil Ahmed, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) officer who was investigating Munde's death, was planning to file an FIR stating that the BJP leader had been murdered, but was himself killed.

"A cyber expert has made a sensational claim that former Union Minister Late Gopinathrao Munde saheb was murdered. This claim needs immediate attention and investigation from RAW/Supreme Court, as it is directly linked to the death of mass leader. #EVMHacking," Dhananjay Munde, the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, tweeted.

A cyber expert has made a sensational claim that former Union Minister Late Gopinathrao Munde saheb was murdered. This claim needs immediate attention and investigation from RAW/Supreme Court, as it is directly linked to the death of mass leader. #EVMHacking 1/2 — Dhananjay Munde (@dhananjay_munde) January 21, 2019

Everybody who followed Munde saheb's leadership and loved him had raised questions about his death. After today's revelation, the doubt has been addressed. If the claim of #EVMHacking is true, then it also violate the norms of the biggest democracy of the world. 2/2 — Dhananjay Munde (@dhananjay_munde) January 21, 2019

Dhananjay claimed that those who loved Gopinath Munde had always raised questions over his death in a road accident. "Everybody who followed Munde saheb's leadership and loved him had raised questions about his death. After today's revelation, the doubt has been addressed," the NCP leader added.

In another tweet in Marathi, Dhananjay added, "Each of those who loved Munde Saheb had doubted that he died in the accident, but it was a sabotage. Hence, the startling claims made by cyber expert Syed Shuja in a live press conference backs the suspicion."

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in October 2014 ruled out any foul play in the death of Gopinath Munde, claiming that the politician had died due to injuries sustained in a road accident.

Syed Shuja, who is seeking political asylum in the US, during a hackathon on Monday in London claimed that the 2014 elections were "rigged" through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Shuja said he fled India in 2014 because he felt threatened in the country after some of his team members were killed. However, he provided no proof to back up his claim.

However, the Election Commission of India rubbished Shuja's allegations about ERVMs being tampered, stating that it firmly stands by "firmly stands by the empirical facts about foolproof nature" of the machines used.

"It has come to the notice of Election Commission of India that an event claiming to demonstrate EVMs used by ECI can be tampered with, has been organised in London. Whereas ECI has been wary of becoming a party to this motivated slugfest, ECI firmly stands by the empirical facts about foolproof nature of ECI EVMs deployed in elections in India," the ECI said in a statement on Monday evening. 

"It needs to be reiterated that these EVMs are manufactured in Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) under very strict supervisory and security conditions and there are rigorous Standard Operating Procedures meticulously observed at all stages under the supervision of a Committee of eminent technical experts constituted way back in 2010. It is being separately examined as to what legal action can and should be taken in the matter," the statement added.