Manjeswaram election bribery case: K Surendran fails to turn up for sitting again

Kasaragod: BJP state president K Surendran failed to appear for sitting in spite of the Kasaragod District and Sessions Court directing the leader and others accused in the Manjeswaram election bribery case to mandatorily turn up on Thursday. Five of the accused, including Surendran, have filed a discharge petition claiming that they were named as accused in the case illegally. 

A detailed hearing on the discharge petition will take place on October 4. Meanwhile, the court has also asked BSP leader Sundara to appear on October 4.

The case pertains to Surendran offering Rs 2.50 lakh and a smartphone to K Sundara to withdraw his candidature in Manjeswaram during the last assembly election.

The court had earlier considered the case on May 20. However, the hearing was adjourned to August 5 after the accused failed to show up. Later, the hearing was postponed again to September 21.
 
Besides Surendran, his Chief Election Officer and former BJP district president Adv K Balakrishna Shetty, Yuva Morcha leaders Sunil Naik, Y Suresh, Manikanta Rai, and Lokesh Londa are the other accused in the case.