THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing the alleged kickbacks paid in connection with the Life Mission project has sent a notice to Chief Secretary Vishwas Mehta seeking clarification on whether permission from the Union government was obtained before entering into an agreement with a foreign institution for the project.
The state government’s Life Mission had entered into an MoU with UAE based Red Crescent for constructing a Rs 20-crore apartment complex and health centre at Wadakkancherry in Thrissur district.
As per rules, the state has to obtain Centre’s permission before entering into any agreement with a foreign country.
The central agency has asked the chief secretary to furnish the relevant documents, in case the Centre’s permission was obtained.
The notice has also demanded furnishing of the minutes and legal opinion received on the project.
The ED will also examine if permission of the Reserve Bank of India was sought as the project was fully-funded by the UAE-based organisation.
The Life Mision project at Wadakkancherry courted controversy after Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the Thiruvananthapuram gold smuggling case, admitted that she received kickbacks for facilitating the project.