THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has reiterated that the gold smuggling case is the first time that an office of a Chief Minister in the country has come under a cloud over corruption charges.
Talking to reporters here at Cantonment House, Chennithala also alleged that Louis Berger, a New Jersey based American company, had been awarded a consultancy agreement for deciding the land for the proposed greenfield airport at Sabarimala by spending around Rs 4.63 crore in the last four years.
On the second day of the Chief Minister's former principal secretary M. Sivasankar's questioning by the NIA in Kochi, Chennithala alleged that all the portfolios under Pinarayi Vijayan are reeking of corruption. He maintained that along with the ongoing NIA probe in the gold smuggling case, a CBI investigation is also required on the illegal backdoor appointments which didn't come under the purview of the NIA.
While the Opposition leader listed the series of allegations he had raised -- from the nepotism case levelled against E P Jayarajan to the latest consultancy appointments in the IT department, CMO and Chief Secretary's Office -- he charged that the CMO has become a den of corruption.
"Rs 4.63 crore has been incurred for coming up with a 32-page feasibility report by Louis Berger which has been prepared for the last four years when even the land was yet to be identified for the airport. This could have been prepared by an engineer here. Consultancy agreements are being awarded against the norms," said Chennithala.
Chennithala also hit back at CPM secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's allegation that he is a darling of the RSS. The Opposition leader maintained that Kodiyeri has proved that he is not to fit to continue in his post.
"Kodiyeri has been coming out with stark statements on communalism. The people of Kerala know my DNA as I have been a leader for the last 40 years. Kodiyeri shouldn't provoke me further," said Chennithala.