BJP forms 3-member panel to probe Hawala scam in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: In a new development to Kerala BJP's case of election funds/ hawala, the national BJP board has assigned a three-member panel to submit reports on the distribution and use of election funds provided to the party in Kerala after several of its leaders were embroiled in controversies. The panel includes three BJP associates - retired IAS officer CV Ananda Bose, retired IPS officer Jacob Thomas and technocrat E Sreedharan.

Amongst the stringent controversial cases, Kerala BJP has been sweating over a highway robbery worth Rs 3.5 crore in Kodakara town, Thrissur on April 3, which is now investigated by the Kerala Police as a Kodakara money heist. A businessman, Dharmarajan, filed a complaint claiming that the money ransacked from the car, that was used to transport the lumpsum, was meant for business purposes and that it belonged to him.

According to reports, the money could've been unregistered election funds or Hawala for which the senior BJP leaders are being looked into, as Dharmarajan had received several calls on the day of the robbery. However, the party has denied allegations pertaining to the hawala heist.

Alleged bribing case of namesake candidate has been going at par as BJP's state president K Surendran has been accused of paying Rs 2.5 lakh to withdraw his candidature from Manjeswaram in the Assembly polls. Kerala BJP is also alleged to have paid Rs 10 lakh C.K. Janu of the Janathipathya Rashtriya Sabha (JRS) to come into the fold of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Reports reveal that a fraction of the BJP leadership in Kerala has gaslighted the controversies throwing the party into an internal crisis, however, in a press meet held on Sunday, the state leadership claimed that the party stood united.

Meanwhile, Kummanam Rajashekaran former Mizoram Governor who condemned the controversies said that K Surendran cannot be cornered and that BJP will not allow it.