KOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing the pay-off case involving Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) interrogated S N Sasidharan Kartha, the managing director of the company, at his residence in Aluva on Wednesday. He was questioned by an ED team led by assistant director Satyaveer Singh and three officers till night.
Kartha was summoned by the ED for questioning on Monday and Wednesday. However, he skipped the interrogation citing medical reasons. Kartha claimed that he was suffering from Parkinson’s disease with symptoms of dementia, ischemic heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and kidney ailment. CMRL officials had told ED officers that Kartha was recuperating after undergoing various therapies.
However, for ED, the interrogation of Kartha was vital as he is the person who is aware of the money given to various firms and persons, including Exalogic Solutions owned by CM’s daughter T Veena.
Later, ED officials contacted close associates of Kartha and asked whether he could undergo interrogation at his residence. As Kartha agreed to the suggestion, the ED team reached his residence by noon in two vehicles. By 2pm, one of the vehicles left the house premises carrying bundles of documents.
It is learnt that the ED will interrogate Kartha again as part of the probe. The ED is likely to question Veena after evaluating evidence collected from CMRL regarding transactions with Exalogic Solutions. ED will also look into the transactions made by CMRL with other firms and political leaders.