KOCHI: Former minister and CPM MLA A C Moideen will not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with the Karuvanur Service Cooperative Bank loan fraud on Thursday. Moideen has sought more time to appear before the investigation agency which is probing the money laundering in connection with the scam.
Moideen contacted ED officials in Kochi and requested to postpone the interrogation which was scheduled to be held on Thursday. According to ED officials, Moideen claimed that he received the notice from the national agency only on August 28. Hence he cannot appear for questioning on such short notice. He also cited other engagements on Thursday that cannot be postponed.
ED officials have decided to consider Moideen’s request and give him a fresh date for interrogation. ED maintained that a notice was also sent through email which Moideen claimed to have not received. The interrogation is likely to be held next week.
Meanwhile, ED questioned a key accused and two suspected binamis in the case on Wednesday. Prime accused and former manager of Karuvanur Service Cooperative Bank, Biju Karim, was questioned by the team. Apart from this, ED also questioned suspected binamis Anil and Kiran who allegedly received loans from the bank even though they were not members of the bank. Kiran had received a loan of Rs 22 crore. Anil was engaged in selling gold pledged in the bank. They reached ED office in Kochi for the interrogation. ED will question other suspected binamis Rahim C M, Shiju M K and Satheesh Kumar in the coming days.
Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank ruled by CPM came under scanner after it was found that over Rs 150 crore was disbursed to non-members as fake loans using forged documents. ED raided the house of Moideen and suspected binamis last week. Moideen’s bank account having Rs 28 lakh has been frozen by ED. ED claims that several loans were granted following the instruction of Moideen. Moideen was a minister in the LDF government from 2016-2021.