Agencies hurling lies as Swapna Suresh's statement to defame me: Speaker

Chennithala shocked by ‘dirty intentions’, seeks further probe; Smriti says charges serious
Kerala Assembly Speaker and Ponnani MLA P Sreeramakrishnan. (Photo | B P Deepu, EPS)
Kerala Assembly Speaker and Ponnani MLA P Sreeramakrishnan. (Photo | B P Deepu, EPS)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after The New Indian Express reported the disclosure of Swapna Suresh, key accused in the gold smuggling case, that Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan had invited her to a flat in the capital with “dirty intentions”, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and Union minister Smriti Irani have sought the LDF government’s response to it. However, the speaker, in a Facebook post, said the central investigation agencies stooping too low to enter offensive details in a document as if they are part of the woman’s statement is not right in a democratic country.

Chennithala on Sunday expressed shock at the turn of events and alleged that despite having strong evidence against the speaker, the central agencies are not taking further action. He said the state and the Central governments have resorted to the ‘thief vs police’ game. That’s why the LDF government announced a judicial probe against the investigating agencies on Friday.“I am surprised why the agencies have not carried out further probe following the revelations made by Swapna? People have every right to know what is happening in the gold smuggling case,” Chennithala said in Pathanamthitta.

Addressing a road show in Kozhikode, Smriti Irani, Union Minister for Textiles and Women and Child Development, said the allegations raised against the speaker are “serious”. She added that leaders who are in the public domain should respect women.On Sunday, TNIE had reported that Swapna had told the Enforcement Directorate that the speaker tried to cozy up to her with “dirty intentions”, according to a document submitted by the agency before the High Court. 

The accused had given the statement on December 16 last year at Attakulangara Women’s Prison before the deputy director, Enforcement Directorate. She had also said Sreeramakrishnan used to call her to a flat at Pettah in Thiruvananthapuram which, according to her, belonged to him but under someone else’s name.
Stung by the report, Sreeramakrishnan took to Facebook claiming that the investigating agencies have been trying to defame the LDF and its leaders. 

Sreeramakrishnan said that when smuggling cases reach the doors of the Opposition, they are trying to distract people’s attention from these by revealing concocted statements against the government, chief minister and speaker to tarnish their image. This cannot be accepted. “Fake campaigns are being unleashed by the investigating agencies when the state is going to the polls. LIFE Mission and Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board projects, which have brought about revolutionary changes, are being targeted by the probe agencies,” said Sreeramakrishnan.

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