Thiruvananthapuram: The smuggling of gold through diplomatic baggage has once again unleashed a political storm in Kerala with the key accused, Swapna Suresh, levelling charges against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family.
Swapna meeting the media at regular intervals now has been making news. Earlier, her statements and those of the co-accused to the investigators and court had grabbed headlines. Additionally, she has won in creating an animated suspense by promising to reveal more, and thereby keeping the political leaderships on either side of the fence on their toes.
Her revelations, so far, are often incredible and logic defying, but the CPM and the government are not discarding her statements completely. The CPM has taken note of the fact that Swapna levelled allegations against the chief minister and his family after joining an RSS-backed non-profit organisation. P S Sarith, one of the co-accused, too, has been employed in the same organisation, the Highrange Rural Development Society (HRDS).
The government had earlier appointed a judicial commission after receiving information that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) may turn against the chief minister. The CPM believes that Swapna is now playing to a script prepared by someone else, by giving a statement under CrPC 164, and making some part of the confession public.
The party is keenly monitoring the central agencies, especially the ED, and their moves post Swapna's statements. The ED is yet to submit its chargesheet in the smuggling case.
UDF wants court-monitored probe, doesn't trust central agencies
Meanwhile, the Opposition is unlikely to offer any solace to the ruling front, despite its leaders clarifying that they would not be parroting all the allegations that Swapna has been making. Their stand is that if a CBI probe could be recommended against former chief minister Oommen Chandy based on charges levelled by Saritha S Nair, the prime accused in the multi-crore solar panel scam, Pinarayi Vijayan, too, should face the same treatment.
The Opposition has accused the government of trying to gag Swapna by making the Vigilance pick up Sarith in a hurry and registering a case against former MLA P C George. The UDF has been demanding a court-monitored probe since it does not trust the central agencies.
The BJP, on the other hand, has been repudiating the charge that it is behind Swapna's latest move. The party is treading carefully, since its earlier statements made under the cover of central agencies had put it on the defensive.
