Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will launch an investigation to find out whether the prime accused had laundered the funds he received through the fake CSR scam. The ED’s Kochi unit has received instructions to examine and register cases.

With the ED’s involvement, the assets of the main accused and their relatives could be confiscated, and the money could be refunded to the scam victims, as the cases would be filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA 2002).

In a related development, the Muvattupuzha Magistrate Court rejected the bail application of Ananthu Krishnan, the main accused in the case, on Tuesday. The court dismissed Ananthu’s argument that it was a civil case and observed that the accused committed serious criminal offences. The court also pointed out that the police have filed 34 cases against him.

Meanwhile, the police have registered 480 cases involving an amount of Rs 28 crore across Kerala in connection with the scam till Tuesday. Ananthu Krishnan and KN Ananda Kumar are the main accused in most of the cases.

The police are expected to file a detailed report on the cases before the Additional Sessions Court on Thursday.