Over 10 Held At Chennai Airport With Inked Fingers, Foreign Passports; Role In TN Polls Probed

In a startling development after the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections, immigration authorities have detained multiple foreign nationals at airports in Tamil Nadu for allegedly participating in the state polls despite carrying non-Indian passports. Officials confirmed that several individuals, most of them reportedly Sri Lankan nationals, were intercepted at Chennai and Madurai airports after authorities noticed indelible ink marks on their fingers during immigration checks.

According to officials, at least ten people, including four women, were detained at Chennai airport alone. Among those identified were Sri Lankan nationals Ranjini, Sarfudeen, Nilanthi, Jeyanthan, Charlie Balachandran, Chakravarthy Logapriya, and Sunitha Chakravarthy. Authorities also detained individuals holding passports from the United Kingdom, Indonesia, and Canada, as per reports.

Airport officials said the suspects came under scrutiny after immigration personnel observed election ink marks typically applied to voters during polling.

Investigators later found that the individuals were allegedly carrying both foreign passports and Indian voter identity cards issued by the Election Commission, a combination authorities described as unlawful under Indian regulations.

A senior immigration officer said officials are now investigating how the voter identity cards were obtained and whether the detained individuals had indeed cast votes in the Assembly elections. “Foreign passport holders with Indian voter IDs is against the law,” the officer stated, reports said.

Legal action has reportedly been initiated under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with other applicable laws.

Authorities said intelligence inputs had alerted law enforcement agencies that certain foreign nationals who allegedly voted fraudulently might attempt to leave India after polling concluded. Following the alert, immigration units at airports including Chennai and Madurai were instructed to monitor outbound passengers closely.

15/05/2026 Bharathi SP/ABP Live