Surendran Cleared: Political Conspiracy or Justice Served?

A Kerala court has cleared BJP state president K Surendran and others of bribery charges related to the Manjeshwaram elections. The court found the case unfounded, a decision welcomed by Surendran who described the case as a political plot. The opposition alleged a CPI(M)-BJP arrangement influenced the outcome.

In a notable judicial development on Saturday, a Kerala court discharged BJP state president K Surendran and five other individuals from allegations linked to the Manjeshwaram election bribery case. The decision was rendered by Kasaragod Sessions Judge Sanu S Panicker, who concluded that charges against the accused could not be officially substantiated.

Surendran, announcing his vindication, reiterated claims of innocence, emphasizing that this decision exposes a plot designed to thwart his political ambition. He accused opposing party leaders of orchestrating the case to weaken his party's morale. The completeness of his discharge has left questions about political machinations unanswered.

Conversely, the opposition, led by Congress leader V D Satheesan, suggested that the outcome was orchestrated through a tacit understanding between CPI(M) and BJP. They've pointed to past cases as evidence of mutual cooperation, raising concerns about the prosecutorial handling which allegedly facilitated Surendran's discharge.

(With inputs from agencies.)