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ED summons Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s additional private secretary
The summons came on the day the state government revoked the general consent given to the Central Bureau of Investigation to file cases in the state.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday summoned Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s additional private secretary CM Raveendran in connection with certain appointments in the information technology ministry.
A political appointee, considered close to the CM, he was asked to appear in the ED office in Kochi on Friday. The summons came on the day the state government revoked the general consent given to the Central Bureau of Investigation to file cases in the state. The CM’s former principal secretary M Sivasankar, a senior IAS officer, is in the custody of the ED in connection with the gold smuggling case.
While investigating the gold smuggling case, probe agencies came across alleged irregularities and commissions in some other projects also. According to officials who are part of the multi-agency probe, Raveendran was summoned on the basis of the statement of Sivasankar. A party leader from Kannur (north Kerala), Raveendran had served under many ministers earlier. He was the secretary of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan when he was the home minister in the VS Achuthanandan government.
When Sivasankar was arrested on October 28, the government quickly distanced itself from him but in Raveendran’s case it will be difficult for the party to drop him. Besides the government, the party (CPI(M) is also in big trouble after the arrest of secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s son Bineesh Kodiyeri in connection with the Bengaluru drugs case.
Kodiyeri courted trouble after the Bengaluru drug racket accused Anoop Mohammad gave a statement to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in which he mentioned his name. He said Bineesh Kodiyeri, second son of Balakrishnan, had helped him a lot in his “business venture.”
His name also figured prominently in the call list of Mohammad. In the remand report, the ED said he pumped in at least Rs 5 crore in drug business which began in 2015.
Kodiyeri’s arrest has landed the ruling party in big embarrassment and there are reports his father expressed desire to quit but central leaders prevailed over him, saying it will give an impression that charges were right and the party knew about his shoddy deals. The ED had raided his house and seven other establishments close to him on Wednesday.
