WhatsApp chats reveal Sivasankar knew all about Swapna’s financial transactions

WhatsApp chats reveal Sivasankar knew all about Swapna’s financial transactions
M Sivasankar

Thiruvananthapuram: With the WhatsApp chats between chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan's former principal secretary M Sivasankar and his chartered accountant now out in the public domain, the messages exchanged between them has clearly contradicted the suspended bureaucrat’s earlier statement that he had not interfered in any financial transactions.

The evidence furnished before the Kerala High Court by the Enforcement Directorate included these WhatsApp chats. The chats were brought into the public domain by the Manorama News channel.

It was during the examination of the phones of Sivasankar and his chartered accountant Venugopal that the ED team laid its hands on the crucial chat messages. As per messages exchanged on WhatsApp on February 8, 2019, Venugopal informed Sivasankar that Rs 35 lakh had come to Swapna's account and how much amount had been deposited in the bank.

Similarly it is clear that every time Venugopal met Swapna he exchanged messages with Sivasankar about what transpired in their meeting. However, in the statement given before ED, Sivasankar had claimed that there was no interaction between him and Venugopal.

With the details of WhatsApp chats between him and Venugopal now coming out, it is clear that Sivasankar was aware of the financial transactions of Swapna Suresh, the key accused in the gold smuggling case.

The ED had earlier stated that crucial evidence against Sivasankar was included in the secret documents that were handed over to the court. Additional solicitor general S V Raju who appeared in court on behalf of ED had made it clear that WhatsApp messages were part of the evidence.

WhatsApp chats reveal Sivasankar knew all about Swapna’s financial transactions
Swapna Suresh

The messages clearly reveal that Sivasankar maintained a very close relationship with Swapna. Considering Sivasankar's position and influence, there are apprehensions that the evidence could be destroyed, the ED said.

Huge amounts of commission had been received in these transactions. Economic offences are acts of crime against the society, senior lawyer K Ramkumar told the court while appearing in court on behalf of Customs.

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