Sasidharan Kartha levels serious allegations against ED in monthly payoff case; withdraws statement

KOCHI: Sasidharan Kartha, managing director of Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL), has withdrawn the statement given to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the monthly payoff case. He approached the court seeking to withdraw the statement, levelling serious allegations against the ED. A copy of the affidavit submitted by Kartha’s brother, Ajith, on his behalf has now been exposed by a media.

The application to withdraw the statement was submitted on May 15, 2024. The affidavit stated that ED officials behaved cruelly during the interrogation. It also alleged that Kartha was forced for the interrogation despite being in poor health. The affidavit further claimed that Kartha’s fingerprints were forcibly taken during the interrogation.
Several others have also reportedly approached the court seeking to amend their affidavits, alleging that the ED threatened and pressured them to give statements against political leaders in the monthly payoff case.

Former CMRL chief financial officer K Suresh Kumar and present general manager Manohar Das have submitted amended affidavits. They now claim that their earlier statements were given under threat. They also alleged that a portion of the page on which the statement was recorded was left blank and that details were added later. The ED had also received an affidavit seeking to amend the statement given by Hasan Waris, friend of Mohammed Riyas, during the raid in Kozhikode.

Waris alleged that he was threatened with the inclusion of his daughter in the case and was forced to name certain people. The ED has not officially responded to the amended affidavits. Sources in the agency say that witnesses have the right to seek such amendments, but it is for the investigating officers to decide whether they should be accepted.