Did not meet Adani's agent in Mangaluru; Chief Minister denies allegations

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has denied allegations that he met an agent linked to industrialist Gautam Adani during a visit to Mangaluru. Speaking at a press conference, Satheesan said he has no connection with Adani and dismissed the claims as false.

"The person I met in Mangaluru was a relative of senior Congress leader Aryadan Mohammed. He has family connections in Kozhikode and Kasaragod. We spoke briefly after arriving at the airport," the Chief Minister said.

Mocking the allegations, Satheesan asked whether he was expected to have met Adani to discuss forming a cabinet after the elections. He accused the CPM of spreading false propaganda and said the claims were politically motivated. The Chief Minister also clarified that his trip to Mangaluru on a chartered flight was for personal reasons.

Addressing another controversy, Satheesan said allegations that the MG University Syndicate was being "saffronised" after the UDF came to power were baseless. He pointed out that the procedural steps that led to BJP members entering the syndicate had taken place before the UDF government assumed office. He said the matter would be examined and appropriate legal action would be taken if necessary.

Satheesan also said action had already been taken after it was found that Minister Sunny Joseph had appointed a relative to his personal staff. He acknowledged that mistakes can occur on the part of the government but stressed that corrective measures were taken once the issue came to light.

The Chief Minister further announced that the government has decided to hand over the investigation into the Naveen Babu case to the CBI. He said the formal notification would be issued after reviewing the ongoing court proceedings related to the case.