A court in Wayanad on Wednesday directed the police to register a case against Bharatiya Janata Party Kerala chief K Surendran on charges of bribing tribal leader and Janathipathya Rashtreeya Party (JRP) president C K Janu to contest as an National Democratic Alliance candidate in the Mananathavady Assembly constituency in the April 6 elections.
The court's decision came on a petition filed by the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) state president P K Navas alleging that Surendran had bribed Janu with Rs 50 lakh to contest as part of the NDA in the elections.
Recently, audio clips of the conversation between Surendran and JRP leader Praseetha had gone viral on social media after the latter released them one by one.
Though Surendran and the BJP had denied the charges, the court has, prima facie, been convinced about the veracity of the tapes.
The court directed the police to register a case against Surendran under sections 171 (B) and (E) (Bribery) of the Indian Penal Code, court sources said.
Recently, a Kasaragod court had allowed the police to register a case against Surendran on a similar charge of allegedly threatening and bribing the BSP candidate K Sundara for withdrawing his nomination as a candidate in the Manjeswaram Assembly constituency in the April 6 State Assembly elections.
The police was acting on the directive by a magistrate court which considered a petition filed by V V Ramesan, the Communist Party of India-Marxist candidate who fought the election against Surendran in Manjeswaram.
