Thiruvananthapuram: The Crime Branch probing the death of noted violinist Balabhaskar has decided to take the statements of a Palakkad ayurvedic doctor after the late musician’s father alleged that there were money dealings between the two.
Balabhaskar's father K C Unni said that his late son had made investments at Poonthottam Ayurveda Ashram in Palakkad.
"However, I do not know if the money was returned. Balabhaskar and his wife were closely acquainted with Dr P M S Raveendranath of the ayurvedic centre," Unni said. He also dismissed rumours that Balabhaskar was not close to his family.
However, Poonthottam Ayurveda Ashram managing director Dr P M S Raveendranath said that the allegations raised by Balabhaskar's father and other family members were baseless. "They are trying to defame my institution. I had known Balabhaskar for 15 years. The money I took from him for the hospital was duly returned. I am ready to cooperate with any investigation," he said.
The statements of the doctor’s family would also be taken.
The probe into Balabhaskar’s death in a car accident in September 2018 was intensified after one of his former programme coordinators Prakashan Thamby was arrested for gold smuggling via Thiruvananthapuram.
Dr Raveendranath further said that Thamby was Balabhaskar's friend and the violinist probably would not have known of his other dealings.
Meanwhile, Kalabhanavan Soby George, who had passed by the accident site minutes after the incident on the fateful day, gave his statements to the Crime Branch in the Kerala capital. Soby had said that he had noticed some people in suspicious circumstances near the ill-fated car.
“Balabhaskar's death was not accidental. I have given statements to the Crime Branch that can change the course of the investigation. I can still identify the people I had seen on that day,” he said while talking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
The Crime Branch team would also check Balabhaskar’s bank accounts after his relatives raised embezzlement charges against his friends. The probe officers would tally the payment received for musical programmes and Balabhaskar’s savings.
