thrissur two bjp functionaries who were summoned by police in connection with the recent highway heist case at kodakara failed to appear before the investigation team on sunday bjp state organising secretary m ganesh informed the special investigating team that he could not turn up because of other engagements while state office secretary g girish cited health issues for not appearing before the police according to police sources both have sought time to appear before the probe teamthe special investigating team under thrissur range dig a akbar had sent communications to ganesh and girish on saturday to appear before them on sunday party leaders in the district k r hari sujay senan and v kasinath were questioned by the police on saturday on the robbery that took place on the highwaythere were reports that the money was allegedly being transported for the election campaign of a national political party as per the complaint filed by the driver of the car rs 25 lakh was looted from the vehicle the police have however recovered about rs 1 crore and 20 people have been arrested in connection with the robberyak dharmarajan who had allegedly sent the money had told the police that he was an rss activist he had also told them that the money was handed over to him by sunil naik the former state treasurer of yuva morcha the youth wing of bjp later they conceded to the police that around rs 35 crore was stolen from the car the police had also received inputs that it was illegal money that was being transportedthe goons who stole the money had followed the car in two vehicles and allegedly decamped with the cash after intercepting the car by setting up a fake traffic accident near kodakara on april 3 three days before the assembly electionsthough the police were told that the money was meant for real estate business the ruling cpm had alleged that it was part of black money brought for the election campaign of a national party and sought a detailed probe into the incidenthowever bjp state president k surendran on saturday said his party had no connection with the incidentalleging that there was an attempt to link the bjp with the case and tarnish its image the leader said the interrogation of the party leaders was only a dramathe saffron party never used any illegal money for campaigning he addedwith inputs from agencies