Kochi: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has once again issued a notice to former Finance Minister Thomas Isaac in the KIIFB masala bond case. He was instructed to appear at the ED office in Kochi on Monday, January 22. The CPM leader had requested some more time to appear before the agency after receiving the first summons.

According to the agency, available evidence proved that money was diverted and spent in violation of rules. But KIIFB has argued that the funds were utilized for infrastructure development activities in Kerala and that no conditions were violated during the process.

KIIFB and Thomas Isaac had approached the High Court stating that ED had been harassing KIIFB officials for a year-and-a-half to investigate whether there were any FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) violations.

After the ED announced that it will withdraw the summons sent so far, the High Court had closed the proceedings on the petition. However, the court did not allow KIIFB's request to stop the investigation in the case.