Kerala court orders probe against state BJP President K Surendran over bribery charges

KALPETTA: A court has ordered that a case be filed against BJP state president K Surendran over an alleged bribe of Rs 50 lakh to CK Janu, a tribal leader and president of Janadhipathya Rashtriya Party (JRP), an ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), during the 2021 Kerala assembly elections.

The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Kalpetta, issued the order on a petition filed by Muslim Students Federation (MSF) state president PK Navas. The court ordered that a case be registered under sections 171E (punishment for bribery) and 171F (punishment for undue influence or personation at an election) of the IPC, sources said.

Earlier, JRP treasurer Praseetha Azhikode had alleged that Janu had taken money to join the NDA. She also released audio messages validating the incident.

"On June 3, I had sent a petition to DGP along with the audio clippings of the telephonic conversations that prove the involvement of both Surendran and Janu. But I received only one reply saying that the case has been shifted to the official concerned. Later, on Tuesday, I filed a petition in the court along with the copy of the complaint written to DGP, audio clippings and news reports on the incident. The court ordered the probe next day," said Navas.

The court delivered the order on an online sitting and the official order will be transferred to the concerned authority on Thursday.

Surendran has already been booked under Sections 171 B (bribery) and E (punishment for bribery) of the IPC by Badiadka police in Kasaragod following a court order in connection with the allegation by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate K Sundara that he was given Rs 2.5 lakh and a smartphone to withdraw his nomination.