KOCHI: The arrest of Bineesh Kodiyeri, son of CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a drug case in Bengaluru could spell trouble for many bigwigs in Kerala including a few in the Malayalam film industry.
As the ED unit in Bengaluru is probing the finances of Bineesh who allegedly funded Kochi native Mohammed Anoop, the main accused in the drug case busted by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the sleuths are expected to come knocking at the doors of those in Kerala who have been into financial dealings with Bineesh.
Anoop was arrested in the Bengaluru drug case along with Kannada television star D Anikha and Rijosh Raveendran, a Palakkad resident, on August 28. Though the state intelligence and excise departments had specific information on Anoop’s operations in Kerala in the last one year and his links with a few personalities in Malayalam filmdom, it’s suspected that the state agencies didn’t initiate any action against him because of his close association with Bineesh.
“Anoop used to operate from Kochi before shifting to Bengaluru. He used to frequent Kochi to attend many parties attended by film personalities. He operates a ring of peddlers in Kochi for supplying drugs to many,” said a senior officer of the state Special Branch.The ED has been keeping a close watch on the financial dealings of both Binoy Kodiyeri and Bineesh ever since Hasan Ismaeel Abdulla Al Marzooqi, a Dubai businessman, came out with a complaint against Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s elder son, for allegedly cheating him and his partner of seven million UAE dirhams in 2018. “That case was settled out of court after the accused (Binoy) made the payment,” said a Dubai-based Malayali lawyer privy to the case.
Intelligence officials said the incident, however, alerted the ED about Binoy’s involvement in the huge fund deal and started monitoring the activities of both siblings. With the arrest of Anoop, the ED could get certain inputs about the fund transactions made by Bineesh.After Anoop’s arrest, Muslim Youth League state general secretary P K Firoz had come out with allegations on Bineesh’s links with Anoop and Rijosh. He had alleged that Bineesh was Anoop’s sponsor in drug smuggling and had invested money to launch a hotel run by Anoop at Kammanahalli in Bengaluru.
Bineesh’s friendship with Anoop
Bineesh and Anoop became friends while Bineesh was trying for a career as an actor in Malayalam films. Anoop was known in select film circles as he used to allegedly supply drugs like LSD and MDMA at parties in Kochi that were attended by a few film personalities. Bineesh continued to be Anoop’s close friend even after the latter shifted operations to Bengaluru. Bineesh used to provide fund to Anoop and visit him in Bengaluru. He gave money to Anoop for his textile business in Kochi which later flopped.