KOCHI: Kochi City Police has started a preliminary investigation on the complaint of CPM leader PR Aravindakshan that ED officials beat him and forced him to say the names of EP Jayarajan, AC Moideen and K Radhakrishnan during interrogation related to the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank fraud.

Ernakulam Central CI Anish Joy went to ED's headquarters in Kochi yesterday evening and collected information as part of this. ED officials were informed that a complaint had been received against them and the response of the officials was recorded. The process lasted for an hour. Kochi City Deputy Commissioner S Sasidharan said that he would consider filing a case later.

Aravindakshan, who is also the chairman of the Wadakkanchery Municipal Health Standing Committee, complained that the ED officials beat him up after he appeared for questioning on the 12th. According to his statement, he went before the ED even on the day of his daughter's engagement. A hindi speaking officer was the one who beat him up. He was beaten on the arm with a bamboo stick and on the neck by hand. The officer threatened Aravindakshan that he would not see the outside world if he did not testify against the leaders. When he was beaten several times, Aravindakshan screamed that he would commit suicide if he was beaten again. Aravindakshan was also asked to sign a lot of papers. He said that he sought treatment at the medical college after the incident.

ED had interrogated Aravindakshan over several days from the 8th to the 15th in connection with the Karuvannur bank fraud case. ED replied that Arvindakshan had returned with a smile after the interrogation.

Retired teacher's account and locker frozen

ED has frozen the account and locker of a retired teacher in Kodungallur Town Cooperative Bank in connection with a loan of 50 lakhs taken from Karuvannur Bank. This is due to the suspicion that gold was bought using the loan amount and kept in a locker in the Town Bank. ED got information about the locker in Kodungallur during the investigation after it was found that the repayment of a loan taken by giving land as security was delayed. The locker will be opened and checked. Meanwhile, it has also been found that the retired teacher has only Rs.3000 in her account.

The retired teacher from Irinjalakuda has been living in Methala with her family since she got married. It is also being investigated whether anyone else has taken the loan from Karuvannur on her behalf.