Kodakara case: Kerala BJP chief named in charge sheet

Thrissur (Kerala) [India], July 24 (ANI): Kerala BJP President K Surendran was on Friday named in the charge sheet submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Kodakara black money case.

The SIT in its charge sheet submitted before Irinjalakuda court, named 22 persons as accused while Surendran was named as the 7th witness.

In the charge sheet, the police termed the second witness Dharmarajan as a 'hawala agent' who had close links with Surendran, BJP State organisation secretary M Ganesh was named as 8th witness and state office secretary Gireeshan Nair 9th witness.

Further, in the charge sheet, the police alleged that Dharmarajan was tasked to bring money from Karnataka by the 8th and 9th witnesses in connection with the BJP campaign for the Kerala Assembly election.

The 625-page charge sheet has 22 accused and 219 witnesses and the probe team said a copy will be handed over to Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax Department and Chief Electoral Officer, Kerala with a report.

The case was first registered based on a complaint that Rs 25 lakh was stolen on April 3 after a car was waylaid during Kerala election time. The complainant Shamjeer and Dharmarajan, a native of Kozhikode, who sent the money, were questioned in detail. During interrogation, it was revealed that there was Rs 3.5 crore in the stolen car.

Of the Rs 3.5 crore looted, Rs 1.12 crore was used to purchase 347 grams of gold jewellery, mobile phones and watches. These items were confiscated by the police.

Earlier, BJP leaders had approached Kerala Governor alleging that the constitution of SIT was with clear political motives and it was targeting BJP leaders and state president in particular. (ANI)