Bineesh should be punished if guilty, Kodiyeri hits back at opposition

Kodiyeri Balakrishnan
Kodiyeri Balakrishnan

Reacting to Kerala's Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala's allegations against his son Bineesh, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Friday said efforts were on to create a smokescreen on the issue and it would not succeed.

The senior Congress leader had demanded an investigation into CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's son's alleged link with a key accused in the Bengaluru drug trafficking.

He said Bineesh would not enjoy his protection, if he has any role in any crime.

"Let the central agencies probe everything related to the case. Chennithala should hand over to the investigating agencies if there is any evidence in his possession," Kodiyeri told reporters.

He said if Bineesh is found guilty of any crime, he should be punished.

"He should be hanged, if he deserves to be hanged. Nobody is going to protect him if he has done anything unlawful," Kodiyeri said.

Kodiyeri also criticised Congress for trying to divert the attention from the Venjarammoodu twin murder and labelling martyrs as goons.

“The Congress is trying to make the entire incident look like a face off between two gangs to cover up for the incident,” he said.

Stepping up his attack against CPI(M) over the issue, Chennithala, on Friday said it was reported that drug trafficking accused Mohammed Anoop and gold smuggling accused Ramees had contacted over phone several times.

Addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, he claimed Kerala CPI (M) secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's son Bineesh Kodiyeri has admitted that he had connection with Anoop.

"It is a serious issue.

Mohammed Anoop, Bineesh Kodiyeri
Mohammed Anoop, Bineesh Kodiyeri

What is the link between the gold smuggling case and drug trafficking case and how is the drug trafficking case accused connected with Balakrishnan's son? All these things should be investigated," Chennithala said.

The youth wing of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Wednesday had alleged that Bineesh had invested money in a hotel business launched by drug case accused Mohammed Anoop in Kammanahalli in 2015.

Bineesh said Anoop had borrowed money from him and others some years ago but pleaded ignorance about his alleged involvement in drug trafficking, adding news about it was a shock to him.

Customs to probe gold smuggling, drug trafficking links

The alleged links between a key accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case and a prime accused in the Bengaluru drug trafficking, will be investigated by the Customs department.

Sources said one of the arrested people in the gold smuggling is suspected to have links with a prime accused in the Bengaluru drug trafficking case.

They said the Customs will move an application in Court seeking to further investigate the man, who is currently in judicial remand, in view of his alleged contacts with the key drug trafficking case accused.

"We would like to know the nature of contacts between the arrested persons in the two separate cases," an official said.

(With PTI inputs.)

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