Tory candidate held in police probe on election fraud

A Tory election candidate has been arrested on suspicion of postal vote fraud in the first West Midlands Police operation of its kind linked to the 2010 polls.

Gulfam Wali was held by detectives probing claims that postal votes in the Walsall ward where he stood for election were inappropriately used.

The 32-year-old, of Neale Street, Birchills, Walsall, who failed to get elected in Pleck ward, was arrested by detectives from West Midlands Police's specialist economic crime team.

He was held on suspicion of personation, which is an allegation that votes have been cast in other people's names.

The offence falls under the Representation of the People Act 1983 and applies to anyone who votes as someone else either by post or in person at a polling station as an elector or as a proxy.

West Midlands Police spokeswoman Keiley Gartland said today: "A 32-year-old man was arrested by the economic crime unit from an address in Walsall yesterday morning on suspicion of an offence of personation.

"He has been bailed pending further inquiries."

In a separate case, Walsall Tory councillor Mohammed Munir, aged 57, and his 30-year-old son Ali Hayder Munir, both of Thorpe Road in Caldmore, appeared in court last week to deny allegations of electoral fraud.