Thiruvananthapuram: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has found that CM Raveendran, additional chief secretary to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has stake in 12 firms in Kozhikode and Kannur districts.
The agency found the deals involving Raveendran in its preliminary inspection conducted at the firms in the past two days, sources said.
The ED sleuths had sought details from 24 commercial establishments in Vadakara, Orkkattery, Thalasery and Kannur, in which Raveendran is said to have made huge financial investments. The firms include shops selling electronics, mobiles and textiles, as well as a supermarket and a tourist home.
Raveendran is under the ED's scanner as part of the central agency's investigation into the money laundering angle in the diplomatic baggage gold smuggling case.
The officers of the ED's Kozhikode sub-zone will hand over their investigation report to the Kochi unit.
Fresh ED notice soon
The ED is likely to conduct further investigations into the financial deals involving Raveendran after questioning him.
It is set to issue a notice to him in a day or two. He will be allotted a fresh date for questioning.
The agency has completed its preliminary probe into Raveendran's assets and is likely to conduct more searches based on the information they receive during the questioning.
His interrogation has been delayed by nearly a month as he had tested positive for COVID-19 and after getting cured of it, his hospital stay prolonged owing to post-Covid complications.
Raveendran was first asked to appear before ED on November 6. However, he sought treatment after he tested positive for COVID-19 the day before, November 5. He tested negative 10 days later and and another notice was issued to appear on November 27.
However, Raveendran again sought treatment for post-COVID complications such as cough and breathlessness at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital on November 25. As an X-ray and scanning tests found no health problems, he was discharged on 27.
Sources say Raveendran left the hospital after taking into account the advice of CPM leadership. The party wanted to avoid any misgivings as it was felt that he was avoiding interrogation. It was also felt that the questioning cannot be evaded forever.