DETECTIVES are investigating a fraud allegedly carried out during the elections in Southampton, the Daily Echo can reveal.

At the centre of the probe is a candidate who has been arrested for allegedly filling in multiple voter registration forms for properties across Southampton.

Syeh Fayaz Shah, 40, stood as an independent for election in the Bevois ward in Southampton city centre.

Turnout in last week’s local election surged with around half the electorate casting ballots compared to one in five in previous years.

Shah received 82 votes but the seat was won by Labour stalwart Derek Burke who polled 2,369 votes.

Shah, from Oxford Avenue, was arrested by police on suspicion of fraud by false representation.

His arrest happened before the Southampton City Council elections on May 6, but Shah was still able to stand as a candidate for the ward, which covers parts of St Mary’s and Bevois Valley.

It is believed that the allegations of fraud were brought to the attention of police by a member of Southampton City Council’s election staff. It is alleged that voter forms, which detail who lives in a property and who there is eligible to vote, were filled out illegitimately at four properties in the city.

A police spokesman confirmed: “Detectives are investigating an allegation of fraud following the recent local Southampton City Council election.

“A 40-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation and is currently on police bail until June 17.

“The offence relates to four properties where voter registration forms have been allegedly filled out illegitimately.

“This matter does not relate to any existing Southampton city councillor.”

Southampton’s returning officer Mark Heath, who is also the city council’s solicitor, said: “A matter of concern regarding the local election was referred to the police. However, it would not be appropriate to comment further while there is an active police investigation.”

Councillor Burke said Shah kept a low profile.

He said: “He was a stranger to us all. I never came across him during the campaign.

We didn’t see him at all. He didn’t attend the count. There was one poster in a shop we saw.”

Last night there was no answer at Shah’s home address.

Also standing in the ward were Liberal Democrat James Read, Tory Spandita Woodman, Green Chris Bluemel and Independent Khalid Farooq.

Before the campaign Farooq, 41, was forced to resign as a local Labour party member and candidate after the Daily Echo exposed him as a benefits cheat.

Farooq, of Radcliffe Road, Southampton, failed to declare that he, or his partner, owned no other property when filling out Jobseeker’s Allowance forms.

He was ordered to do 80 hours unpaid community work and pay Southampton City Council £150 in costs.

Last week the Daily Echo revealed how elections to the Pakistan Welfare Association, in which Farooq was also a candidate, were abandoned after voters turned up to the polling station in Newtown with marked sample ballot papers showing them who to vote for.