THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Conveying his displeasure with the manner in which central probe agencies were conducting themselves in the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan alleged in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that orchestrated campaigns were being launched to defame the state’s political leadership, “seemingly with the cooperation of certain officials of the investigating agencies”. This collusion is evidenced by how even confidential statements made by witnesses or the accused were being leaked to the media, he said.
The letter was written in reference to the probe into the sensational gold smuggling case which subsequently resulted in multiple agencies inquiring into the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) and development schemes like Life Mission.
Accusing central agencies of attempting to tarnish the image of the state government, the CM pointed out that even after five months since the Thiruvananthapuram incident, neither the course nor the end utilisation of the smuggled gold has been found. No headway has been made in the apprehension of suspects either, he added.
Stating that such “roving and fishing expeditions” will hamper the government’s development activities and lead to the loss of the agencies’ credibility, Pinarayi stated that central probe agencies were supposed to follow the contours of constitutional division of powers in a cooperative federal set up. The agency’s actions has created a fear psychosis among honest and hardworking officers, he said, further seeking the PM’s intervention to take corrective steps at least at this juncture.
The CM alleged that the CBI had displayed undue haste in implicating the LIFE Mission scheme for the alleged violation of the provisions of FCRA, 2010. It had neither conducted a procedural preliminary inquiry nor sought the state’s permission, he said, adding that the Kerala High Court’s interim stay order had specifically mentioned how neither the facts on record nor FCRA provisions justified the mention of LIFE Mission in CBI’s FIR.
“The Enforcement Directorate has crossed all limits,” he said, raising concerns over the manner in which LIFE Mission CEO was summoned. He also cited the ED’s letter to the RBI, seeking clarifications regarding the permission granted to KIIFB for floating masala bonds.