THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan said that he will not interfere with customs questioning his assistant private secretary K Ayyappan in the dollar smuggling case. It requires permission as per law. The speaker said that a letter was sent to the customs pointing this.

Rule 165 says legal proceedings relating to a person within the jurisdiction of the assembly require the permission of the Speaker. This applies not only to MLAs but also to the staffs. There is no problem in customs seeking information from my assistant private secretary. The speaker said that rules should be followed in it.

‘I have been in the public circle for forty years. Not a single rupee of bribery has been alleged against me all these years. I firmly believe that I have not done anything wrong and so don’t have any fear. The allegations against me are not true. There is no more explanation on the controversy,’ he said.

The notice issued by the opposition demanding Speaker’s removal will be discussed in this session. The assembly will take an appropriate decision in it. Assembly secretary S V Unnikrishnan, who was present at the press meet said the letter was sent to customs as it needed Speaker's permission to question the staff as per the rules.

The assembly secretary had yesterday sent a letter stating that Speaker's permission was required to question a staff member of the Speaker. The letter also pointed that the Speaker's permission is required to give notice to a person coming under the purview of the assembly.