Thiruvananthapuram: Crime Branch records Balabhaskar wife’s statement

Thiruvananthapuram: The Crime Branch team probing the death of violinist Balabhaskar took the statement of his wife Lakshmi at her house at Thirumala on Tuesday. She reiterated the statement given to the local police and Crime Branch earlier that it was driver Arjun who was driving the car at the time of the accident. She offered to cooperate with any investigation into the accident.

"Balabhaskar was sleeping in the back seat when the accident happened and I lost consciousness," said Laksmi.

"I had only the ornaments I was wearing then and no money or jewellery was lost. I have no information about Balabhaskar having any personal enmity with anyone. He had close friendship with the family of driver Arjun's aunt Latha. She had borrowed money for business purpose from Balabhaskar. This was transferred through bank account and paid back in two instalments," Lakshmi said.

Prakash Thampi who was arrested in the gold smuggling case was not a staff member of Balabhaskar, she said. He had been associated with the conduct of some programmes. The remuneration for the same was settled at the time itself, she said.

Meanwhile, the Crime Branch has approached the DRI for questioning Thampi who is in their custody. On Wednesday, the CB will take the statement of Kalabhavan Sobin who revealed that he had seen two people running from the site of the accident. He has been asked to report here for the purpose.

The DRI has decided to expand the probe to include jewelleries that have bought gold from the carriers. It has received information on certain jewellery shops that buy smuggled gold and sell it.

The Crime Branch will retrace the journey of Balabhaskar on the night of September 25, 2018, that ended in his death. The sleuths would travel through the same route taken by Balabhaskar's family at the same time. They would re-examine the area where the accident happened and also record the statement of police officers who probed the case earlier.