Thiruvananthapuram: CPM state secretary M V Govindan openly challenged the Enforcement Directorate to find the party's alleged 'secret accounts' in the scam-hit Karuvannur Co-operative Bank. He was responding to the questions of the media regarding the reports on ED's findings on its secret bank accounts. As per reports, the Enforcement Directorate has shared details of “secretive” bank accounts allegedly held by the Left party with the Election Commission.
"Let them find the accounts. We are not afraid of ED," said M V Govindan.
The central investigation agency has also handed over the details of the accounts, which its investigation into the Rs 150 crore scam found to have opened in violation of the Cooperative Bank laws, to the Finance Ministry and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
The ED report stated that it was through these accounts that the funds for extending benami loans were distributed. Five accounts were opened in the name of CPM to “purchase land for setting up party offices, and collecting party fund and levy”, a national media reported.
The CPM has 25 bank accounts in various banks and cooperative banks in Thrissur district alone in the names of 17 Area Committees, the economic intelligence agency claimed. However, the details of these accounts are yet to be disclosed, as per the balance sheet as of March 21, 2023. Loans were passed in the names of the poor without their knowledge based on the direction of certain district-level CPM leaders to commit financial fraud. The probe revealed that several such loans were sanctioned on the direction of former minister and CPM MLA A C Moideen, the ED pointed out in its report.
The agency further stated in its report that similar frauds were committed in many cooperative societies in the state and not limited to Karuvannur alone. So far, the ED has attached properties worth Rs 87 crore and arrested four persons in the case.
The Income Tax Department too has launched a probe based on the ED findings. Earlier, the High Court posted the hearing in a petition filed by the Crime Branch, against the ED’s refusal to hand over the original documents seized during its investigation, to April 3.
