Originally posted by RonIpstone
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Thinking this through, the Indian gentleman slept in the double-bed on the other side of the room, therefore Hanratty is the last person to have used the bed next to the chair. Furthermore if the cases had been there beforehand then there's the risk that he could have disturbed and\or discovered them.
It has been mentioned several times that the cases were precariously balanced on top of the seat (whereas I think they may have become lodged between seat and chair back, because it was only when Crocker ripped a loose piece of material off the chair that one fell off and he noticed it) in which case it makes it more and more unlikely that the cases were left there by previous occupants.
Admittedly the basement room was accessible from the garden, and by hotel staff, noteably Nudds, so the cases could have been planted, but they were discovered before Hanratty was linked with the crime and Alphon had used the place (but a completely different room) as part of his alibi so planting them in that room to frame him makes no sense.
I agree with yourself and Graham that Acott&co heavily pressured Nudds into making his second statement to link the cases to the only suspect they had at the time, which was a big mistake as it prompted Alphon to later make his "confessions" to blacken the character of the police and drag them through the mud, where they belong.
KR,
Vic.
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