KOCHI: The PMLA Special Court, Kochi, on Wednesday sent two accused, P R Aravindakshan and C K Jils, to Enforcement Directorate custody till Thursday evening in the Karuvannur Bank scam case. Aravindakshan is the health standing committee chairman in Wadakkancherry municipality and CK Jils is a former senior accountant with Karuvanur Service Cooperative Bank. The court directed ED not to harass the accused mentally or physically during custodial interrogation.
Aravindaskshan and Jils were produced before the court on Wednesday morning. ED special prosecutor Santosh M Jose submitted that both Aravindakshan and Jils have to be further interrogated and sought their custody. ED counsel said that both accused did not cooperate with the investigation. Though the accused were asked to produce all documents related to the case, they have not complied with it, counsel said. He sought the custody of the duo till Thursday evening. Following this, PMLA Special Court Judge Shibu Thomas directed the counsel of the accused to file a counter affidavit which was considered in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, Aravindakshan’s lawyer raised apprehension about ED custody claiming that he was tortured by officials during interrogation and he had filed a complaint to the police in this regard. He submitted that he was questioned by ED multiple times and they could not find any evidence against him. All documents sought by ED were produced as part of the investigation. Later, the court sent Aravindakshan and Jils to ED custody till 4pm on Thursday.
Congress to hold ‘padayatra’ tomorrow
Thrissur: Congress will hold a ‘padayatra’ seeking action against conspirators and beneficiaries of the financial fraud at Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank. The ‘yatra’ will begin from the bank premises and ends at the collectorate. State Congress working president T Siddique will inaugurate the protest rally while party state chief K Sudhakaran will inaugurate the valedictory meeting. District Congress committee president Jose Vallur said about six people have lost their lives due to the Karuvannur scam as they either didn’t receive the funds to undergo medical treatment or due to revenue recovery notice for the loan they didn’t take.
Political vendetta behind ED probe, says CM
T’Puram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has come down heavily on the Enforcement Directorate (ED) which is probing the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Society bank scam. He accused the Central agency of moving ahead with a political agenda to tarnish the image of the state government in view of the upcoming LS elections. “It has to be doubted that these investigations are a preparation ahead of the Lok Sabha election. Everyone can understand the real motive behind the enthusiasm shown by the ED in probing the Karuvannur bank scam. The same agency is standing as a mute spectator as far as the scams reported in banks in other states are concerned,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
Reporters prevented from entering court hall; curbs lifted later
Kochi: When ED officials produced P R Aravindakshan and C K Jils at the PMLA Court in Kochi, the court staff restrained reporters from entering the court hall on Wednesday. However, later PMLA Special Court Judge Shibu Thomas permitted reporters to enter the court hall and cover the proceedings in the evening. It was around 11 am that Aravindakshan and Jils were produced before the court in Kaloor. When the court was considering the custody application filed by the two, Kerala Police officials prevented reporters from entering the court hall. Police told reporters that the sheristadar of the court had directed them not to allow any reporter inside. When reporters approached the sheristadar, he said that he had issued the direction based on the order of the judge. He said curbs were imposed as the presence of reporters will disrupt the court proceedings.
Satheesan urges LDF govt to return depositors’ money
T’Puram: UDF has upped its ante against the LDF government on the Karuvannur Bank scam. When the state CPM leadership has fallen into a deep crisis following the arrest of one of its prominent leaders by the ED, Opposition Leader V D Satheesan demanded that the LDF government should take steps to return the money to the depositors.Taking a jibe at top CPM leaders, Satheesan said that they have started feeling the heat. Satheesan also cast aspersions on the chief minister as he had earlier claimed that the depositors in Karuvannur Bank would not lose a penny.