Gold smuggling: Pinarayi takes dig at BJP, hopes probe will expose all involved
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Taking potshots at the BJP, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the saffron party has earned people’s ridicule by distancing itself from Janam TV whose former coordinating editor Anil Nambiar was questioned by Customs in connection with the gold smuggling case.The Chief Minister said he has always maintained that the heartbeats of some people will rise as the investigation in the case progresses. When asked whether he was referring to Union Minister V Muraleedharan, Pinarayi said it was irrelevant who he was referring to. He hoped the probe will expose all those who are linked to the gold smuggling episode.
Pinarayi added that the probe into the gold smuggling case was progressing in the right direction. However, the course it will take cannot be predicted at present, he said.Asked if a probe by the state was required on the allegations surrounding Life Mission project, Pinarayi said the state was collecting information on the matter. “As and when we get the required information, we will decide on the future course of action,” he said.
On the Chief Minister’s media adviser’s revelation that Rs 4.25 crore was paid as kickbacks in connection with the Life Mission project, Pinarayi said the government does not act on information given through a TV channel. He said the media adviser was not privy to official information. Besides, the kickbacks relate to Red Crescent and a contractor employed by it and it has nothing to do with the government, Pinarayi said.
LDF calls for investigation into role of Muraleedharan in gold smuggling case
T’Puram: Mounting an attack on the BJP over the gold smuggling case, the Left front has demanded an investigation into the role of senior BJP leaders, including Union Minister V Muraleedharan, in the case. In view of the recent revelations, Muraleedharan’s phone records should be seized, said LDF Convener A Vijayaraghavan.
“It has become evident that senior BJP leaders have links in the smuggling case. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has been raising allegations against the state government to cover up this fact,” he said in a statement. The depositions by Anil Nambiar and Swapna Suresh make it evident that top BJP leaders were aware of the gold smuggling, he said. The National Investigation Agency team probing the terror links should interrogate Anil Nambiar as well, he added.