KOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting a raid at Congress leader and advocate Laly Vincent’s house in Kochi in connection with the half-price scam. Raids are also being conducted at the office of K N Anand Kumar, executive director of Sai Gramam, in Sasthamangalam.

The raids are being conducted at twelve places in the state including Ananthu Krishnan's house and the NGO Confederation office. Searches are also being conducted at Sai Gram in Thonnakkal. Laly Vincent is also an office bearer of the NGO Confederation.

The ED is mainly investigating whether there was any black money transaction in the half-priced scam. Ananthu Krishnan and his gang embezzled crores of rupees from thousands of people from different parts of the state.

The ED had collected information from cases registered by the police earlier. The police had also found that transactions worth more than Rs 450 crore were made through Ananthu Krishnan's 19 bank accounts.

Although the main accused has been arrested, the extent of the fraud is not clear. The complainants had demanded an ED investigation to reveal how the money collected was spent.

Lali Vincent's role should be informed
The high court has directed the investigating officer to submit a report on the role of Congress leader and lawyer Laly Vincent in the half-priced scam. Justice P V Kunhikrishnan, who adjourned Laly's anticipatory bail plea to Monday, also extended the interim order preventing his arrest till that day. The court had directed the police to submit the report by Friday.