Kerala BJP President K Surendran booked in election bribery case

BJP’s K Surendran was accused of bribing his ‘namesake’ during the Assembly polls.
Kerala BJP President K Surendran
Kerala BJP President K Surendran
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Kerala BJP President K Surendran has been booked under charges of bribery, after he was accused of bribing a candidate during the 2021 Assembly polls. After a Kerala court granted permission to book K Surendran, Badiadka police in Kasaragod booked Surendran under Indian Penal Code sections 171 B (bribery) and E (punishment for bribery). The case pertains to the recent allegation by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate K Sundara, that he was given Rs 2.5 lakhs and a smartphone to withdraw his nomination as the BJP feared the similarity in name would end up in Sundara garnering some of Surendran's votes.

The Manjeshwar assembly seat was won by AKM Ashraf, a Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) candidate, who was part of the Congress led United Democratic Front (UDF). The complaint against K Surendran who contested from both Manjeshwar and Konni, was filed by Left Democratic Front candidate VV Rameshan, based on the allegation made by K Sundara.

K Sundara, whose name closely resembles K Surendran's, had secured more than 400 votes in the 2016 Assembly election, while K Surendran lost the polls by just 89 votes. Ahead of the 2021 election, K Sundara withdrew his nomination stating that he was threatened by BJP. After he withdrew nomination, he was ousted from the BSP.

But on June 5, K Sundara came out alleging that he withdrew his nomination since he was given the money. K Sundara’s allegation came at a time when BJP in Kerala is also facing the heat of the Kodakara money heist case and an allegation by Janadhipathya Rashtriya Party (JRP) party leader that BJP president K Surendran gave Rs 10 lakh to CK Janu to join the National Democratic Alliance.

Janadhipathya Rashtriya Party (JRP) state treasurer, Praseetha Azhikode has alleged that K Surendran gave Rs 10 lakhs to CK Janu for joining back the NDA. Praseetha had made public a call recording in which she and a man (she has alleged it is Surendran), discuss the 'deal'. CK JAnu and Suresndran have denied these allegations.

On June 8, Praseetha put out more call records, allegedly of conversations between her and K Surendran. In one of the call records, the male voice, alleged to be of K Surendran, discusses with Praseetha about the date when they can meet. In another call recording, a man alleged to be K Surendran’s aide, can be heard asking in which hotel room they (allegedly Praseetha and CK Janu) are in.

Watch video of the newly surfaced call records:

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