Kerala CM orders re-probe into 2021 Kodakara Hawala case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government on Friday decided to re-investigate the 2021 Kodakara hawala case, placing the BJP in a precarious position amidst the by-elections.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan instructed the state DGP Shaikh Darvesh to initiate the reinvestigation promptly.

In response, the BJP alleged that the recent disclosures in the Kodakara hawala case are concocted narratives orchestrated at the CPM's AKG Centre headquarters.

Former BJP office secretary's revelations

The probe comes in the wake of the disclosure by Thiroor Satheesh, the former BJP office secretary in Thrissur, that the funds confiscated during the 2021 Kodakara heist were hawala money intended for the BJP. His revelation has triggered a political uproar in Kerala just before the critical by-elections.

Thiroor Satheesh has alleged that bags filled with cash and labeled as election campaign materials arrived at the party's district office at 11 pm on April 2, 2021. The transportation of the money was done with the knowledge of BJP district president Aneesh Kumar.

Satheesh stated that Dharmarajan, a businessman and party supporter, had brought the funds and had also instructed to rent out a room for Dharmarajan.

Although party leaders usually provided him with details of the person in such cases, Satheesh said no details were provided on this occasion. He admitted that he assisted in moving the bags into the office where the cash was stored in a room generally used by the party's general secretaries.

He recounted feeling uneasy after realizing that the bags contained cash and took steps to secure the room. The money was later stolen during transport, a theft Satheesh only learned of the next day. Being the office secretary, he did not disclose the details to the police.

On April 4, 2021, just three days before the Kerala assembly elections, a staged accident at 4:40 am in Kodakara led to the hijacking of a vehicle carrying Rs 3.5 crore. The SIT later found that the money was BJP funds transported from Karnataka to the BJP district secretary in Alappuzha.

The first charge sheet submitted in the case before the Irinjalakuda First Class Magistrate Court listed 23 arrests and 19 witnesses, including BJP leaders. Of the money looted after the accident, Rs 1.4 crore remains unaccounted for.

CPM state secretary M V Govindan alleges Rs 41.6 crore sent for distribution during elections

CPI(M) State Secretary M. V. Govindan on Friday called for an investigation into the allegations that Thiruvathoor Sathessh's recent revelations indicate that crores were funnelled into the BJP office during the election period. He alleged that similar instances of money distribution have also occurred during by-elections, adding that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has shown no interest in probing the case.

Govindan claimed that reports now suggest that a total of Rs 41.6 crore was funneled for election distribution and alleged that the BJP national leadership was aware of this cash inflow meant for influencing the elections.

The CPM leader criticized the ED for only pursuing cases involving opposition leaders and urged an impartial probe. The Kerala police have submitted a detailed report, but the ED has yet to act on the matter.

Meanwhile CPM Rajya Sabha MP A A Rahim has written to union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman demanding a probe by ED into the BJP-hawala link in Kerala.

BJP state president refutes allegations

BJP State President K. Surendran dismissed the allegations, labelling them as baseless charges lacking any evidence. He asserted that there is no connection between the BJP and the Hawala case and that there is no evidence against him in any of these cases, deeming it a political manipulation ahead of the critical by-elections.

BJP district president K.K. Aneesh Kumar dismissed Thiroor Satheesh's allegations as politically motivated. He stated that Satheesh had been dismissed from the party for financial irregularities and accused him of accepting money from the CPM to make false allegations against the BJP.

Congress alleges CPM-BJP unholy nexus

Opposition leader Satheesan alleged that the Kodakara hawala case has exposed an unholy alliance between the CPM and BJP. He alleged that the Kerala Police were aware of these details but chose not to disclose them.

UDF candidate for Palakkad bypoll, Rahul Mankootathil, claimed that the Enforcement Directorate and Kerala Police were competing to protect Surendran in the Kodakara hawala case.