Kerala’s Chief Minister wrote to Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday (archive)
Thiruvananthapuram:
Kerala’s Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, claiming that central agencies’ “fishing and roaming probes” were directed at the state government and saying that such actions were against the interests of a “cooperative federal spirit”.
The Chief Minister’s letter referred to an investigation into gold smuggling that subsequently resulted in multiple agencies investigating schemes such as Life Mission and the Kerala Infrastructure Fund Board, which is the state’s flagship housing program.
“Five months later, the source or end use of the smuggled gold has not been deciphered,” Vijayan wrote, adding that the IWC had shown “undue haste in filing the FIR without a preliminary procedural investigation (and) either the consent of the state sought “.
“The Compliance Department has crossed all the lines,” he added, raising concerns about the way the Life Mission CEO was convened.
The Chief Minister said that the housing project had been funded by the United Arab Emirates Red Crescent, which had offered to build 140 houses (through contractors of its choice). “Life Mission only gave specifications to follow and has no direct role in the project,” he wrote.
Mr. Vijayan also alleged an orchestrated campaign against the state, in cooperation with certain officials from investigative agencies, and cited examples of leaked confidential statements as evidence.
“Investigations should not turn into roaming and fishing expeditions leading to the total loss of credibility of central investigative agencies. This will only hamper the state’s development activities. This is a serious governance problem and does not bode well in a democratic and federal policy, “he wrote.
The Chief Minister’s top official, Additional Private Secretary CM Raveendran, appeared before the Directorate of Enforcement on Thursday after a fourth subpoena.
He had skipped appearing before the investigative agency three times. He was hospitalized for COVID-19 and related complications after each of the above citations.
Both the Congress-led UDF (United Democratic Front) and the BJP have alleged that Raveendran did not comply with those calls due to the local body elections, which took place last week.
The ruling LDF (Left Democratic Front) has denied this accusation.
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