THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hours after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) served CM Raveendran — additional private secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan — with a notice for the second time, he was hospitalised to treat post-Covid symptoms. ED, which is probing the money laundering case related to the smuggling of gold through the diplomatic channel, on Wednesday asked Raveendran to appear for interrogation at its Kochi office on Friday.
The first time the central agency served a notice asking him to appear before it, he tested positive for the virus the next day. He had also cited medical reasons for his inability to reach the ED office. And now, he has been admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram to treat post-Covid health issues.
“He didn’t turn up last time because of Covid. Now, we have come to know that Raveendran has fully recovered and completed the quarantine procedure too. Though the notice was issued directly to him, he hasn’t replied,” an ED source told TNIE.
Raveendran’s name surfaced in the statement given by Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the gold smuggling case. During interrogation, ED officials had asked Swapna whether any state government minister or official maintained contacts with her. She told them that Raveendran contacted her occasionally for visa stamping and certificate attestation matters.
Congress urges agencies to seek health experts’ help
“As it’s clear that former principal secretary M Sivasankar was receiving kickbacks for state government projects, we have to check whether Raveendran had also indulged in corrupt activities. The notice was issued to Raveendran based on the statements of Swapna and Sarith, another accused in the gold smuggling case,” the ED source said. Though TNIE tried to get in touch with Raveendran, calls went unanswered. Meanwhile, UDF convener M M Hassan urged the investigating agencies to seek the help of health experts to check whether Raveendran has been following “delaying tactics” in the wake of the ED notice.
Customs reprimanded
Kochi: The special court has lambasted the Customs for not mentioning in its plea how M Sivasankar abetted gold smuggling.