KOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing money laundering behind the smuggling of gold via the diplomatic channel on Wednesday served notice to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's Additional Private Secretary CM Raveendran to appear for interrogation.
Raveendran has been asked to appear for interrogation at the ED office in Kochi on Friday. This is for the second time that a notice has been issued to Raveendran.
Earlier this month, ED sent the first notice but Raveendran did not turn up as he had tested positive for COVID-19.
"We have come to know that Raveendran is fully recovered. He has also completed the quarantine procedure. The notice was issued directly to him. He has not replied to the notice yet," ED sources said.
Raveendran's name surfaced in the statement given by accused Swapna Suresh during an interrogation in the gold smuggling case.
ED asked Swapna whether any ministers or officials of Kerala government maintained contacts with her, to which she replied that Raveendran used to contact occasionally for visa stamping and certificate attestation matters.
"We have to check whether communication between Swapna and Raveendran was for official purpose. As it is clear that the Chief Minister's Principal Secretary M Sivasankar was receiving kickbacks for the state government projects, we have to check whether Raveendran was also indulged in any such corrupt activities. Currently, we only have the statement of Swapna and Sarith with us on the basis of which Raveendran will be questioned," ED sources said.
ED in a remand report filed following the arrest of Sivasankar stated that former bureaucrat and his team in Chief Minister's Office (CMO) were fully aware of smuggling of gold and other products using diplomatic baggage that arrived for UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.
Raveendran is a close associate to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and very well familiar about operations of CMO.