New warfront in Punarjani row: Govt moves to bring in CBI against Satheesan ahead of polls

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has made a move to target the Opposition using the Punarjani project, which was launched by the Opposition Leader to build houses for flood victims. Based on a Vigilance report submitted a year ago, the government is attempting to seek a CBI investigation. At the same time, a Vigilance report stating that there is no case against V.D. Satheesan has also come out.

The Opposition has accused the government of carrying out a political move similar to the one used to implicate former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the solar case ahead of elections. Law Minister P Rajeev responded by recalling that it was the Oommen Chandy government that handed over the Lavlin case against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to the CBI ahead of elections. With this, the issue has turned into a heated election debate.

The new political warfront was opened by the Pinarayi government on the very day the Congress began a two-day camp in Sultan Bathery, Wayanad, to plan its Assembly election strategy. With Congress leaders united behind Satheesan, political observers said the government’s calculations have backfired. There were also claims that the move was an attempt to divert public attention from the Sabarimala gold theft case.

The Vigilance had recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the collection of foreign funds for the Punarjani project, which was launched by V.D. Satheesan, the MLA of Paravur, for rebuilding areas badly affected by the 2018 floods. The recommendation was based on a preliminary inquiry conducted by a special Vigilance team under the supervision of two Superintendents of Police.

Foreign funds collected
The recommendation for a CBI probe was based on findings that funds were collected abroad after obtaining central permission for a private foreign visit and that the money was transferred to accounts in Kerala. The finding was made under Section 3(2)(a) of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010.

No money to personal account
However, a report submitted by the Vigilance Director to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) on September 19 last year stated that no evidence was found to show that foreign funds were credited to or received by V.D. Satheesan’s personal account. The report was submitted by K. Karthik, who was in charge of the IG, on behalf of the Vigilance Director. It also stated that the funds were handled by a voluntary organisation called the Manappad Foundation and that no offence under Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act could be established against Satheesan.

Responding to the developments, V.D. Satheesan said, “The Vigilance has already said there is no case. Now let Govindan hand it over to the CBI. I am ready to face it. This is all because of elections. Anyone with common sense knows the game behind this. What was done to Oommen Chandy was also a similar political hunt.”