Surendran appears before Crime Branch to give voice sample in election bribery case

KOCHI: Kerala BJP president K Surendran appeared before Crime Branch officials at a studio in Kochi on Monday to give his voice sample for a voice-matching test in the election bribery case of Rs 35 lakh registered against him.

Earlier, the magistrate court ordered to conduct the test. He is the first accused in the case.

The Crime Branch collected his voice sample to verify the authenticity of the audio clip released by Janadhipathya Rashtriya Party (JRP) leader Praseeta Azhikode in the bribery case. Earlier, she released the voices of both Surendran and herself.

The police had registered a case against Surendran for allegedly bribing JRP leader CK Janu by giving Rs 35 lakh to persuade her to contest the Assembly election from the Mananthavady seat.

Azhikode had deposed before the Wayanad Police that the BJP president gave Rs 35 lakh to Janu to facilitate her return to NDA and contest the elections, following which the magistrate court in Wayanad directed the police to register a case against Surendran.

Azhikode released a few audio clips recently which she claimed are records of conversations she had with Surendran on handing over money to Janu.