THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s Additional Private Secretary CM Raveendran has sought two weeks’ time to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning. The central agency wants to question him as part of its probe into money laundering aspects of the UAE gold smuggling case.
Raveendran wrote to the ED through his advocate that he is suffering from health issues and was not in a position to travel to Kochi for questioning. Along with the letter, Raveendran also submitted a certificate on his health condition, issued by the Superintendent of the Government Medical College Hospital here.
Raveendran was asked to appear before the ED on Thursday (December 10). Raveendran had skipped ED’s summons for questioning on two earlier occasions too, citing ill-health. Sources close to Raveendran say he fears being arrested by the central agency after being summoned to Kochi.
Raveendran's skipping of the ED questioning had also snowballed into a major political controversy with the Opposition alleging that the official was evading the central agency fearing an adverse impact for the ruling CPM in the ongoing local body elections.
The Opposition had also alleged that the decision by the ED to summon Raveendran was proof of the dubious role played by the office of the Chief Minister in the entire case.