‘Will not spare anyone involved in corruption’: Chennithala on ED recommendation against Pinarayi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has said that no one involved in corruption will be spared, while responding to the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) recommendation seeking action against Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan. Speaking at the India Today Conclave, Chennithala also questioned why those involved in corruption should be spared.

“The government has sought legal advice in connection with the corruption case and will take further action after receiving the opinion. The BJP and the CPM had been cooperating with each other for the past 10 years, which is why the Centre had not taken action against even a single minister during that period,” Chennithala said.

Meanwhile, CMRL Managing Director S N Sasidharan Kartha has withdrawn the statement he had given to the ED in the monthly pay-off case. He approached the court seeking to retract his statement and made serious allegations against the agency. A copy of the affidavit submitted on his behalf by his brother, N Ajith, has now surfaced.

The application seeking withdrawal of the statement was submitted on May 15, 2024. The affidavit alleges that ED officials behaved improperly during Kartha’s questioning and that he was forced to undergo interrogation despite being in poor health. It also alleges that his fingerprints were forcibly taken during the questioning. Similar retraction affidavits have been submitted by other CMRL officials, who have alleged that they were threatened and pressured to give statements against political leaders in the monthly pay-off case. The allegations of coercion have not been established, and the ED has rejected such charges.

Former CMRL Chief Financial Officer K. Suresh Kumar and current General Manager Manohardas have also submitted retraction affidavits. They now claim that their earlier statements were given under pressure. They have further alleged that blank spaces were left on the pages where their statements were recorded and that additional material was later added.