HC calls for records from sessions court in Manjeswaram election bribery case

State government has challenged a sessions court verdict acquitting Surendran and five others from the case in the HC

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday called for the trial court records (TCR) in the Manjeswaram election bribery case in which the Kasaragod Sessions Court had acquitted BJP State president K. Surendran and five other party workers.

The court passed the order when a petition by the State government challenging the sessions court’s order came up for hearing. The prosecution case was that Mr. Surendran and five others had bribed Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate K. Sundara by offering him ₹2.5 lakh and a smartphone for withdrawing his candidacy in the Manjeswaram Assembly constituency seat in 2021, where Mr. Surendran had contested unsuccessfully. The State government submitted in its petition that the order discharging the BJP State president and others from the case is illegal and against the materials produced by the prosecution. There was sufficient evidence to put the accused on trial for such offences.

The court posted the petition for further hearing on January 2, 2025.

Published - November 20, 2024 07:02 pm IST