The CBI has registered a case against the deputy director and an officer of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Kozhikode, who allegedly received kickbacks for suspending investigations into several hawala cases registered in the northern districts of the state. The case has been registered against deputy director Chandani and officer Parameshwaran. The CBI team also conducted raids on the residence and office of both the officers on Thursday night.
According to officials, the investigation was carried out on the basis of an intelligence report. “The Intelligence Bureau had given a report to the Home Ministry that the Enforcement Directorate officials were not conducting investigations into hawala cases registered by the police in the northern districts of the state. The CBI, on the basis of the report, conducted a probe and found that the officers received bribes from hawala agents for not carrying out investigations into the cases handed over to them by local police. We estimate that both officers received `12 lakh each as bribe,” CBI officials said.
During the raid, CBI found gold jewellery from the office of Chandini. However, officials have to interrogate Chandini to confirm whether the ornaments were received illegally. The CBI has registered an FIR by arraigning Chandini as the first accused and Parameshwaran as the second accused in the case.
A team has been stationed in Kozhikode as part of the investigation. Sleuths would interrogate both officers in the coming days.