KOCHI: The enforcement directorate (ED) on Monday interrogated MLA P V Anwar in the crusher deal case. Anwar arrived at the ED office in Kochi in the evening and the interrogation continued till night. ED officials said Anwar was questioned in connection with the money he received as part of the crusher deal. He has been asked to appear again for interrogation in the coming days. The ED is also checking the source of the money using which Anwar bought another crusher at Balthangady in 2016.
The case was registered as per the complaint of Salim Naduthodi of Pattarkadavu in Malappuram. Salim, while staying abroad, was approached by Anwar offering a 10% share in a crusher unit at Belthangadi in Karnataka valued at Rs 5 crore. He was also offered a monthly profit. The MLA showed Salim the documents of the KE Stone crusher in Belthangady for the purpose. Salim, who fell for the scam, paid `50 lakh to Anwar in 2011.
It was only in 2016 that Salim realised he was cheated as no such quarry existed. Meanwhile, Anwar procured another quarry in Belthangady the same year. Though Salim filed a complaint to the Malappuram police in 2017, apart from conducting a preliminary probe, no case was registered. However, he approached the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Manjeri which ordered the police to conduct an investigation after registering a case against Anwar.
The ED registered a case against Anwar under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act based on the police FIR. It also recorded the statement of Salim and witness Ibrahim, a Kasaragod native, in July 2022 in connection with the case. Salim also submitted the bank transaction details as evidence of money given to Anwar.