Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing the money laundering charges in connection with the Rs 300 crore Karuvannur bank scam, has submitted before the court that an investigation is on to find "undisclosed" bank accounts in the names of family members of influential CPM leader P R Aravindakshan. Bank deposit of his mother carrying Rs 63 lakh is also under the ED scanner.
The economic intelligence agency informed the same in its application to the court here, requesting the custody of Aravindakshan and C K Jills, the third and fourth accused in the case registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, again. P Satheesh Kumar, a private financier, is the main accused.
Earlier, the Peringandur Service Co-operative Bank Secretary admitted to the ED during interrogation that a sum of Rs 63 lakh was deposited there in the name of the mother of Aravindakshan, who is also the Health Standing Committee Chairman of Wadakkanchery municipality. The latter, too, confirmed this during his questioning.
However, some administrative committee members of the bank had propagated there was no such account in the name of Aravindakshan’s mother. The ED move in the court comes against this background.
The name of P Sreejith, the brother of the main accused Satheesh Kumar, is given as the nominee for the Rs 63 lakh deposit in the bank account of Aravindakshan’s mother. The bank registration details show him being registered as ‘son’, the ED submitted before the court. The evidence collection process in connection with the sale of land in the name of Aravindakshan’s wife to a Non-Resident Keralite Ajith Menon for Rs 85 lakh, too is pending.
According to the ED, Aravindakshan facilitated the massive financial fraud by the main accused Satheesh Kumar, who had swindled the hard-earned savings of ordinary people in Karuvannur bank by way of benami loans. It is in this background that the ED submitted the plea seeking custodial interrogation of Aravindakshan again before his first remand period ended. The special court will consider the petition on Monday. The agency will also conduct the custodial interrogation of C K Jills, who had received a benami loan of Rs 4.25 crore.
It was Karuvannur Bank Manager M K Biju who had revealed the role of P Satheesh Kumar and Aravindakshan to the ED. Following this, another CPM councilor of Wadankkanchery municipality, Madhu Ambalapuram, had issued threats against him and his family, Manager Biju said in his statement given to the investigation agency. The ED also questioned Madhu the other day following this.
CPM invested crores of black money during the note ban period: K Surendran
Meanwhile, BJP State President K Surendran alleged that the CPM had invested thousands of crores of black money in Service Cooperative banks across the state during the note ban period. A certain section of CPM leaders exploited the state‘s cooperative sector for corrupt practices and invested Rs 49,000 each in the fake accounts of various cooperative banks, Surendran charged while inaugurating the Cooperative Protection Adalat organized by the party for members of Tamarakudy Service Cooperative Bank, that is facing charges of investment fraud to the tune of Rs 13 core.
CITU to protest
Meanwhile, the CITU State General Council decided to organize state-wide protests against the Centre’s moves to “wreck” the State’s Cooperative sector. A Cooperative (sector) Protection Campaign will be held from October 12 to 17, General Secretary Elamaram Kareem said.
