KOCHI: Congress leader PT Thomas, MLA, has alleged that the Pinarayi Vijayan government is leaking vital information on the probe initiated by Central agencies into the controversial gold smuggling and other cases which have put the government under the scanner.“Vinod Bhattathirippad, a Kozhikode native who has been appointed as the chief technology officer of the state police chief, is suspected to be behind the leaking of vital clues unearthed by the Central agencies against the state government in the sensational gold smuggling case and other cases.
This person was appointed by flouting all norms, after the chief minister himself intervened. He is now the last word on any inquiry carried out by the Kerala Police. His services were used by Pinarayi Vijayan in the solar scam case too,” Thomas said.The CPM has appointed Bhattathirippad to undermine the cases in which party has vested interests, he alleged.
“He is collecting the details of the ongoing inquiry by Central agencies. The government has used his services in collecting the details of the phone calls made by Swapna Suresh, the key accused in the gold smuggling case, her tower location and the scientific examination of CCTV visuals,” he said.Bhattathirippad visited the office of a central agency investigating the gold smuggling case in Kochi on July 22, Thomas said.“He intruded into the investigation system of the central agency in the guise of providing equipment of the Cyber Police Station, Thrikkakara,” he said.
Responding to the allegations, Bhattathirippad said he was neither accepting any remuneration or perks nor using facilities like office, staff or vehicles following his appointment as the chief technology officer (IT Advisor-Honorary).“I was appointed after I presented a research paper on the excellence of Kerala Police in the investigation of cases at Texas University, USA, in 2018.
As a scientific expert with a doctorate in cyber forensics, I have provided services to many agencies, including the Customs Department, to collect cyber evidence. In the gold smuggling case too, I had provided my services to the Customs. The MLA misinterpreted my services and, thereby, attempted to malign my image in public,” he said. Legal action will be initiated against the MLA after consulting experts, he added.