THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan thanked the opposition for changing their stand on Enforcement Directorate. He told the assembly that he was happy that the opposition have realized things and the CBI is also not free from limitations. The chief minister said this while replying to the opposition's submission.

The opposition leader said the ED is trying to eliminate political opponents and holds the closed ones near to them. He said the ED is trying to transfer this case to Bengaluru with the intention of sabotaging it. The state government cannot interfere in any way in the investigation conducted by the central agencies in exercise of their statutory powers in respect of a case which is purely a central matter.

The state government had taken a stand from the beginning that central agencies should investigate cases including gold smuggling in an efficient and coordinated manner. The state government has informed the central government that they are ready to provide the necessary assistance for this.
Investigation of cases like smuggling of gold comes under the Customs Act. It is for the Enforcement Directorate to ascertain whether money laundering has taken place. The state government had never raised any hurdle in the investigation of these issues.

While the Congress party is raising allegations and organizing agitations at the national level that the central investigation agencies are being misused for political purposes, the Congress is reluctant to take such a stand in Kerala.

The state government cannot interfere in the matter as the gold smuggling case is being investigated by central government agencies.

An investigation is a process of collecting evidence, making findings and presenting the facts and evidence before the court. A fair investigation is not something that should be conducted according to the interests of some accused or some other interested parties or based on news.