THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after he submitted a medical report to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and informed the agency that he cannot appear for interrogation, the chief minister’s Additional Private Secretary, CM Raveendran, was discharged from the Medical College Hospital here.Sources said the CPM leadership had sent out message to Raveendran that he has the responsibility to appear before the agency and there should not be unnecessary delay in doing so as it could create an impression that there is something for him to cover up.
A CPM official told TNIE that Raveendran cannot evade questioning forever. “It’s a matter related to his health issue. The party won’t interfere in anything. If a central agency summons him for interrogation, then he should appear. There’s no attempt to cover up anything,” said the leader.
‘CPM has nothing to do with Raveendran’s hospitalisation’
A state secretariat member who said the CPM feels there could be political motives behind summoning him, however, added the party had nothing to do with his hospitalisation. “The party hasn’t given him any direction regarding hospitalisation,” he said. It is learnt that the ED would now serve a third summons on him.
The ED had issued a second notice to Raveendran to appear at its Kochi office on Friday as part of its probe into the money laundering angle in the smuggling of gold through the diplomatic channel. Hospital sources had said on Thursday that Raveendran had developed post-Covid problems and was admitted to the medical ICU on Wednesday and that he had breathing troubles and low oxygen level in blood.
In a letter sent to ED, Raveendran had said that he would have to undergo home quarantine as per Covid protocol. The day after the central agency issued first summons, Raveedran had tested positive for Covid.
Meanwhile, two officers from ED Kochi unit visited three shops in Vadakara to seek clarification following allegations that Raveendran, a native of Orkattery, had made investments there.