Double whammy: Central agencies suspect Kodiyeri’s role in gold smuggling case

Kodiyeri’s business partner summoned, embarrassed Kerala secretary may go on leave.

Under the custody of Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with Bengaluru narcotics haul, the central agency suspects that Bineesh Kodiyeri, CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s son, is also involved in gold smuggling.

Bineesh Kodiyeri, son of CPI(M) state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, was arrested by the ED in Bengaluru on Thursday. (ANI)

The ED suspects that huge properties owned by Kodiyeri in Kerala and Karnataka might have been bought with the proceeds of the narcotics trade and gold smuggling. It has summoned Abdul Latheef, his business partner in Thiruvananthapuram, for questioning.

Earlier the agency had frozen transaction of all properties controlled by the son of the CPI(M) leader, who is also a part-time actor and cricket player. There are reports of his partnership in at least five hotels and his involvement in the running of many fictitious companies.

Last month, the ED had sent a letter to the state registration department to send certified copies of sale deeds and encumbrance certificates of all properties either owned or partly controlled by Kodiyeri. The ED feels that under pressure from political leadership the list was incomplete.

“He’s a big fish. We found that he was funding narcotics trade from 2105. He pumped in ₹5 crore and got at least four times of his investment,” a senior officer who is part of the multi-agency probe said he forced many businessmen and film personalities to invest in it.

Kodiyeri, who wielded enough clout in the state due to his political background, landed in trouble after Bengaluru drug racket accused Anoop Mohammad gave a statement to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in which he mentioned his name. He said Kodiyeri had helped him a lot in his “business venture.” Later his name also figured prominently in the call list of Mohammad. He has been made sixth accused in money laundering connected to Bengaluru drug haul. The Narcotic Control Bureau said it will move an application for his custody soon. The NCB is yet to file a case against him.

During investigation in gold smuggling case, multi agencies also found that drug and smuggling cases were interconnected. One of the accused in gold smuggling, KT Ramees, and alleged drug peddler Mohammad were thick friends. They also found that Ramees had made several trips to Bengaluru before his arrest.

The tinsel world has also started feeling the pinch. Some cine professionals, reported to be close to Kodiyeri, are absconding. There are reports that some film personalities also invested in the drug business on the initiative of Kodiyeri. One of the arrested Mithun C Vilas, also known as DJ Kockachi, reportedly disclosed to the NCB that Kodiyeri had all the information about a thriving drug racket functioning between Kochi and Bengaluru and he lorded over it.

His arrest has landed the ruling party in big embarrassment and there are reports Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has expressed desire to quit but central leaders prevailed over him are saying it will give an impression that charges were right and the party knew about his shoddy deals. “True, the party is in an existential crisis in its last fort. We find it difficult to go back to our cadres,” said a senior leader, adding the party secretary may go on leave for some time.

The 2008 and 2016 party plenums had proposed several corrective measures to check possible moral aberrations and steer clear of shady business deals like real estate and money lending and strengthen Marxist-Leninist moorings. Later, many district leaders and others had to face action over this corrective document. Though the party had disowned the secretary’s son, it is difficult to convince grassroots cadres.

“Even a child won’t believe that the CPI(M) secretary was not aware of his son’s activities. His fleet of cars, luxurious way of life and palatial houses and other properties, it is difficult to believe the father was unaware of them. He bailed him out him on several occasions but this time it is difficult to untangle the mesh,” said BJP leader S Suresh, adding he was also a party to the son’s illegal activities.