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Launching a fierce attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government and the Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Keralam State Secretary MV Govindan alleged that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is being used as a "political instrument" to target former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan under the pretext of the ExalogicCMRL controversy.
Addressing reporters here, the CPI(M) leader defended Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter, Veena Vijayan, stating that the agreement between her firm Exalogic and Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) was legitimate. "The Enforcement Directorate is targeting Pinarayi Vijayan under the pretext of the Exalogic case. Veenas agreement with CMRL was worth only 1.7 crore, and she provided specific services in return for the payment," Govindan said. Questioning the selective nature of the central agency's investigation, Govindan turned his guns on the Congress party, accusing senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala of double standards. "No cases have been registered against others who received money from CMRL. Ramesh Chennithala himself has admitted to receiving money from CMRL. In accordance with the precedent set by the previous UDF government, is Chennithala prepared to step down from the Vigilance portfolio? Just as Oommen Chandy and Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan were given charge of Vigilance, does Ramesh Chennithala have the courage to relinquish the portfolio?" Govindan asked. Lashing out at the functioning and history of the ED, the CPI(M) leader argued that the agency was weaponised over time, initially by the Congress-led UPA regime and now by the Narendra Modi-led government. "The Enforcement Directorate was an agency with limited powers and responsibilities. Even after its establishment in 1957, it did not have any significant role. It was the Congress and P Chidambaram who gave the ED the freedom to interfere in every matter. Later, Chidambaram himself criticised the agency. Today, the ED has become one of Narendra Modis most important political instruments," he said. Govindan further claimed that ED proceedings are merely political smokescreens designed to target political opponents, citing the legal proceedings against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. "ED cases are registered as part of the BJPs political agenda. Announcing the registration of a case is merely a smokescreen. The case involving Arvind Kejriwal is an example of this. Ultimately, the Supreme Court itself rejected the EDs case," he added. Stepping up his attack on Chief Minister VD Satheesan and the Congress, Govindan alleged a covert understanding between the Congress and the BJP in Keralam. "V D Satheesan has shown a face of hypocrisy. The positions taken by the Opposition are all part of a deal between the RSS and the BJP. In the Assembly, the Congress deliberately fell behind the BJP in 30 seats, and the UDF came to power with 102 seats as part of such an understanding. The move to sing the full version of 'Vande Mataram' and the attempt to implement PM-SHRI are also part of this deal," Govindan alleged. Challenging Satheesan on matters of financial transparency, Govindan demanded disclosure regarding private sponsorships. "When someone is in public office, there must be transparency. If V D Satheesan believes in transparency, he should reveal who sponsored the trips to Mangaluru and Malappuram. If he has the courage, he should disclose the identities of the sponsors. Is a public representative someone who will simply follow any route dictated by a businessman who calls him? Nobody offers anything for free; there is always a specific motive behind such favours," he said. Earlier on Tuesday, Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said that the State government would conduct an enquiry on the Hawala allegations by the Enforcement Directorate against Vijayan, his daughter T Veena and Riyas, husband of T Veena. "Already the government has entrusted the DGP to inquire into the whole matter. And the DGP will issue the order within a few minutes. Home Department will issue the orders. DGP will decide what kind of inquiry is to be conducted," Chennithala said. Following the announcement of the inquiry, Riyas refuted allegations of any wrongdoing. While addressing the media, Riyas said, "I only have the information I have seen on television regarding the government's decision to probe the CMRL pay-off case based on the ED report. I have not done anything wrong. I can move forward with confidence." The controversy arose after the Company of Veena, M/s Exalogic Solutions Private Limited (a one-person company), allegedly received fraudulent payments totalling Rs 2.78 crore from CMRL under the guise of IT Consultancy Services. Further M/s Empower India Capital Investment Private Limited (EICPL), operated by Sasidharan Kartha, Managing Director of CMRL, extended loans to Exalogic totalling Rs. 50 Lakh, despite Exalogic failing to make timely repayments, the ED said in a release. The agency further claimed that the investigations done by the ED before showed that Proceeds of Crime were generated by the management of CMRL led by SN Sasidharan Kartha and bribes were paid to various persons. Veena is allegedly one of the recipients of money from CMRL without rendering any services. (ANI)
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