KOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has asked CPIM leader and former Kerala minister A C Moideen to appear for interrogation on August 31 at its Kochi office in the money laundering case related to the Karuvanannur Service Co-operative Bank loan scandal.
The ED communique from its Kochi office on Friday to Moideen, the MLA from Kunnamkulam, comes a day after it seized 36 properties valued at Rs 15 crore, including Rs 28 lakh in fixed deposits in the names of Moideen and his wife. The ED has also sent notice to four 'benamis' of Moideen in the case, asking them to appear at its Kochi office for questioning on August 31.
The scam surfaced after several depositors complained of loans being issued to unknown people using their mortgage documents. Later, an investigation revealed that Rs 150 crore had been siphoned off illegally.
The Central agency, as part of the investigation, received several WhatsApp chats revealing Moideen’s involvement in the case.
The ED officials said that Moideen instructed the bank manager to release loans to non-members of the bank who possessed no proper mortgage documents. Now ED is checking whether these loans were issued illegally to his benamis. On Tuesday, ED searched the residence of Moideen, which lasted for around 22 hours.
Moideen was a minister of Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government from 2016–2021. He handled portfolios of industries, cooperation, local self-government, and tourism.
ED had raided the house of Moideen and his four aides, which ED considers the CPM leader's benamis, viz., Kiran P P, Rahim C M, Shiju M K, and Satheesh Kumar P. The benamis are also asked to report to the ED office in Kochi for interrogation.