Questioning me in Kodakara hawala case is to shame BJP, says Surendran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After a 90-minute long questioning by the police team probing the case of the alleged Kodakara hawala heist that reached the state ahead of the April 6 assembly polls, state BJP chief K Surendran said that this was a stage managed act to shame the BJP.

The BJP has no role in this case and the police probe team is doing this to please their political bosses. They are doing it to shame the BJP, said Surendran.

He was questioned by the police at the Thrissur Police club.

The police had issued a notice to the chief early this month asking him to appear before them. As he cited inconvenience to appear, he was issued a second notice asking him to appear today. After receiving the notice, Surendran then said that he will make one thing very clear that he will not feign chest pain or produce a fake Covid positive certificate to escape (which a few CPM leaders reportedly did when notices were served on them).

Surendran's driver and an aide were questioned by the police.

The BJP's state unit was caught on the wrong foot when a person filed a complaint with the Thrissur rural police that an amount of Rs 25 lakh which he was carrying in his vehicle to pay as advance money for a land transaction was stolen from him on the Thrissur-Kodakara highway in April.

Ever since this row broke out, the national leadership is peeved especially when reports surfaced that tribal leader C K. Janu's party JRP received Rs 10 lakh from Surendran, for returning to the BJP-led NDA.

The revelation by JRP Treasurer Praseeda Azhikode was quickly denied by Surendran and Janu, who threatened to take legal action against her.

The CPM's acting secretary and convener of the ruling LDF, A Vijayaraghavan, then alleged that this was hawala money being used by the BJP to fund its electioneering and the money was meant for party candidates.

He also alleged that the BJP is responsible for the hawala network and added that this was the first time such a huge money transfer has taken place in the state.

Vijayaraghavan then alleged that an amount of Rs 3.5 crore was allegedly swindled and that senior state leaders of the BJP were behind the deal.

Soon the Kerala Police registered a case and by now, various lower and middle level leaders of the BJP have been questioned and let off.