Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s additional private secretary C M Raveendran is unlikely to appear before the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday as he is undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital for treating post-Covid complications. This would be the third time that the officer is skipping the ED’s summons.Sources close to Raveendran said he continues to suffer from fatigue and severe headache.
“The MRI scan of the head was done on Wednesday evening. The further course of treatment will be decided by the medical board on the basis of the scan report and results of some other tests,” said hospital sources, who added that he may require in-patient treatment for some more days.
As Raveendran’s hospitalisation has snowballed into a political controversy, the CPM on Wednesday swung into damage control mode to save its prospects in the ongoing local body elections. The CPM feels that the ED’s attempt is to keep the issue alive till the elections are over. Party state secretary in-charge A Vijayaraghavan stated that the officer was indeed sick and that “Communists aren’t afraid of the ED”. “Doctors are the ones who should decide on a person’s health condition. Earlier too, he was hospitalised for post-Covid illness,” he said.
Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran went one step ahead vouching for his party man’s integrity. Raveendran was hospitalised because he was sick. It should not be interpreted otherwise, the minister told media persons. “Raveendran is a good individual and a good officer who is leading a clean life. He is trusted by all and hence has worked with chief ministers and opposition leaders for the past 30 years. Everyone knows the reason behind the attempt to trap him,” said Kadakampally, adding that the agency’s intention behind the interrogation was to trap the chief minister’s office.
It is learnt that Raveendran’s present hospitalisation was after due consultation with the party leadership. Hence, Raveendran may appear for interrogation soon after the election process is over. “We are aware that his hospitalisation may raise suspicion among the people. But we suspect there’s a deliberate attempt to keep the issue alive. It should be suspected whether the ED is playing to a script. His interrogation at this point of time may reflect in the elections. The probe officers will spread false information through the media as they had done in the case of other persons,” a senior party source told TNIE. It is learnt that CM Raveendran is exploring the possibility of moving the court for an anticipatory bail.
The ED served the third notice on him, directing him to appear for interrogation on Thursday. The agency wants to record his statement in connection with the revelations made by chief minister’s former principal secretary M Sivasankar who was arrested by the ED for his links in the gold smuggling case. It is learnt that the agency wants to question him in connection with the gold smuggling case and the alleged kickbacks behind some major projects of the government.
Meanwhile, the UDF and BJP suspect a foul play in Raveendran’s hospitalisation. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said that Raveendran’s life was under threat as some prominent persons would be in trouble if he is interrogated. “That’s why he is getting sick whenever he is called by the agency. The government is trying to sabotage the probe into gold smuggling case as is evident from Raveendran’s illness and Swapna Suresh’s revelation on the threat to her life,” he said. He called for a comprehensive probe into Swapna’s revelation.
‘Communists are not afraid of probe agencies’
Kannur: Communists are not afraid of investigative agencies and there is no need for them to run away from the probe, said CPM state secretary in-charge A Vijayaraghavan. He said health issues were the reason why C M Raveendran has not appeared before ED.
Govt won’t protect any erring official: Pannyan
“We don’t have any reason to doubt his (Raveendran’s) honesty. However, the government would not protect any erring official,” said Pannyan Raveendran, CPI senior leader.
Pinarayi beneficiary of ‘benami operations’: BJP
K Surendran, BJP state president, said the government medical colleges have become a shelter for people to evade questioning by central agencies. The beneficiaries of the “benami operations” of Raveendran include chief minister, he said.