PATHANAMTHITTA: Amid intensifying political row over alleged irregularities in election funding, Pathanamthitta MP Anto Antony has sent a legal notice to former CPM district secretary K P Udayabhanu, demanding that he withdraw what the MP described as “false and defamatory” allegations and issue an apology.
The notice follows Udayabhanu’s claim that the Sabarimala thantri had invested Rs 2.5 crore in a private banking firm and that Anto Antony had allegedly withdrawn the money after the financial institution collapsed. Udayabhanu had also demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged transaction.
Rejecting the charge, Anto Antony said the allegation was completely baseless. In a video statement issued on Monday, the MP said Udayabhanu’s claim that he had withdrawn money from the Nedumparambil Credit Syndicate, owned by N M Raju, was a “blatant lie”. He alleged that after the initial charge failed to gain credibility, Udayabhanu began repeating fresh accusations raised by Raju, who was earlier jailed in a deposit fraud case.
Meanwhile, the controversy further intensified after CPM Adoor area secretary S Manoj filed a complaint against Anto Antony before the district collector. In the complaint, Manoj alleged that the MP had misled the Election Commission by submitting incorrect statements of accounts and concealing financial transactions while filing his election affidavit. The complainant has sought a detailed inquiry and demanded registration of a criminal case against the MP.
Anto Antony has denied all allegations, reiterating that the charges were part of a smear campaign ahead of the elections.
Financial irregularity row
The notice follows Udayabhanu’s claim that the Sabarimala thantri had invested I2.5 crore in a private banking firm and that Anto Antony had allegedly withdrawn the money after the financial institution collapsed