Thrissur: The continuing probe into the multi-crore scam unearthed at Karuvannur Co-operative Bank located within Irinjalakuda municipal limits underline the certain role of local CPM leaders who made it to its now-disbanded governing council.
Key accused T R Sunil Kumar has stood firm on his stance that the CPM-led former governing body was fully responsible for the fraud. Sunil Kumar, the former secretary of the bank, had surrendered before the Crime Branch on Monday.
The accused in their anticipatory bail plea had stated that they had acted upon the directives of the governing body. They had also alleged that the employees were being made scapegoats and the governing body was getting away with the fraud.
Meanwhile, a case could be filed against the members of the governing body as they are suspected to be involved in certain loan scams. A scrutiny of the documents by the Crime Branch indicated their role.
Has the five accused fled the State?
It is suspected five other accused in the case have fled Kerala. The Crime Branch teams are carrying out checks for them in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Among them, commission agent Kiran, who is facing serious allegations including that of money-laundering, is suspected to have fled abroad.
Former branch manager Biju Kareem, former senior accountant C K Jilse, Kiran, commission agent A K Bejoy, and former accountant Reji Anil continue to be in hiding.
Prime accused Sunil Kumar, who was hiding in various places and sought legal aid, was not in contact with the other accused, according to the Crime Branch. But there are also indications that the accused had jointly sought legal advice over surrendering together and later over seeking anticipatory bail.
The CPM-controlled bank had incurred a loss of over Rs 100 crore in the scam, according to preliminary estimates. The case had rocked the party's Thrissur district unit as the accused are associated with the party. Bank staff, including the secretary, were suspended after the police registered a case against them.
The Enforcement Directorate had also filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against the six accused.