Govindan questions sponsor behind CM’s flight trips, attacks ED over probe against Pinarayi and Riyas

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan has questioned who sponsored Chief Minister VD Satheesan’s flight journeys, particularly his visit to Malappuram to meet disaster-affected people. Govindan asked who had sponsored the trip to Malappuram, alleging that the Kerala government had been reduced to a “sponsor government” and the chief minister to a “sponsor chief minister”. “There is an intention behind accepting such free services,” Govindan said. He challenged those concerned to disclose who sponsored the Mangaluru and Malappuram journeys.

He also said that if K.M. Shaji’s journey was made in a vehicle that had stopped on the roadside, the Tourism Department should be disbanded.

Govindan also criticised the ED investigation against Pinarayi Vijayan and Mohammed Riyas. He alleged that the ED was the same agency that had kept Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in jail for months in a case that, he claimed, was not even fit for registration of an FIR.

He alleged that in the Karuvannur case, actual accused persons were made approvers while CPI(M) leaders were made accused. The ED was targeting CPI(M) leaders without evidence, he alleged. Govindan also questioned the absence of an ED investigation into the Kodakarа case. Referring to Ramesh Chennithala and P.K. Kunhalikutty, he claimed that both had admitted receiving money. He questioned whether the names appeared in the list of black money, alleging that no cases had been registered against them.

Govindan also alleged that Kartha was threatened and forced to sign documents. He claimed that there was no hawala transaction or “red book” involved in the matter and pointed out that the Supreme Court had said that something written on paper by itself does not constitute evidence.