Congress seeks Kerala CPI(M) leader’s ouster from politburo over son’s financial fraud case

The son of the ruling CPI(M)’s secretary in Kerala Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was accused of cheating a Dubai-based travel and tourism firm of Rs 13 crore.

The Congress on Wednesday demanded the ouster of Kerala CPI(M) secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan from the politburo amid financial fraud charges faced by his son, Binoy, in the UAE. The party has claimed that Balakrishnan was aware of the fraud and was protecting his son.

CPI (M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. (HT File Photo)

A letter demanding Balakrishnan’s removal was sent by Benny Behanan, a senior Congress leader and member of the high power committee of the party in Kerala, to CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

“Now that everyday new reports about alleged financial fraud against Kodiyeri’s elder son Binoy Balakrishnan is coming out, it has come to light that Kodiyeri was aware of what was happening and he was protecting his son.

“This issue has surfaced in the assembly and has been taken up by the opposition also. So, in order to keep morality in public life and the way Kodiyeri was covering his son’s dubious deals and told lies, he should be removed from the politburo of the party,” said Behanan.

Last month, a three-page letter dated January 5 from HIA Al Marzooqi, the sponsor of a Dubai-based company, was made available to the media, stating that he had started legal proceedings against Binoy for alleged fraud of Rs 13 crore. It also said Binoy who is in the UAE, has been barred from travelling out of the Emirates.

The case is currently being heard in a UAE court and it will take a few days for the first verdict to come out after which Binoy can file an appeal.

Meanwhile, some news reports also claim that Kodiyeri’s younger son, Bineesh, also has business interests in Dubai and he is also facing similar problems.