THRISSUR: The special investigation team led by Thrissur range DIG A Akbar questioned BJP Kerala president K Surendran on Wednesday in connection with the Kodakara hawala heist case.
Though the probe team had earlier issued a notice to Surendran to appear for questioning on July 6, he did not turn up citing a party meeting and that he needed a week's time. On Wednesday, at 10.30 am, Surendran appeared for questioning at the Thrissur Police Club.
Speaking to the media here, Surendran repeated his statement that neither he nor his party had any connection with the alleged hawala transactions that ended up in the money heist at Kodakara, on the outskirts of Thrissur. The interrogation lasted for more than one hour. "It is the first time in the history of our state police that a case is being probed by tracing the phone calls of the complainant," he said.
Surendran was served with the notice to appear before the probe team based on the statements of RSS activist Dharmarajan whose driver Shamjeer is the complainant in the case. As per the complaint, Dharmarajan was taking Rs 25 lakh from Kozhikode to Kochi. On April 3, a gang waylaid Dharmarajan's vehicle and looted the cash at Kodakara. Further investigations revealed that the actual amount was Rs 3.5 crore and it was being carried allegedly for the election campaign of a national party. The police recovered almost Rs 2 crore in the case.
The police claimed that before and after the heist, Dharmarajan had made several phone calls to BJP leaders which indicate the party's connection. Many BJP leaders have already been questioned by the probe team in connection with the case.