KOCHI: The CMRL-Exalogic money-laundering case took a fresh turn on Thursday after an affidavit submitted by businessman Hassan Waris to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), obtained by the media through sources, alleged that agency officials threatened to implicate his 22-year-old daughter in the case if he refused to give and sign a statement against MLA P A Mohammed Riyas.
In the affidavit, Waris said his daughter, a B.Arch student, was threatened with being made an accused in connection with an alleged transfer of funds to Dubai.
Riyas also alleged on Thursday that ED officials had forced his friend to mention his name in the statement by threatening to implicate his daughter.
Waris’s residence was searched by the ED on August 18 as part of its probe into the alleged money trail involving Riyas and his associates. His statement was subsequently recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA. He later approached the agency seeking correction of the statement, alleging that portions of it were obtained under threat.
The development assumes significance as the ED has referred to Waris’s statement in its communication to the state police seeking registration of a corruption case against former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Riyas and Veena T. The agency has alleged that the statement contains information relating to the alleged flow of funds to Riyas and subsequent transfer of funds to Dubai.
ED sources confirmed that the agency had received Waris’s affidavit but rejected the allegation of coercion and said its case did not rest solely on his statement.
“Statements recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA are admissible in evidence. The case will not rest purely on such a statement. There will be corroborative evidence, which will be produced during the trial,” an ED source said.
The source said people who later dispute statements recorded under Section 50 often submit affidavits seeking to retract or modify them. Both documents would be placed before the court, along with evidence supporting the original statement, the source said.
The ED has forwarded its findings to State Police Chief Ravada Chandrasekhar under Section 66(2) of the PMLA, seeking registration of a separate corruption case. The agency has alleged that Pinarayi Vijayan received money from CMRL through Veena and that Riyas was involved in receiving and transferring funds to Dubai through associates.
Waris’s affidavit has now put the circumstances surrounding his statement under scrutiny. The court would ultimately assess the evidentiary value of the original statement and the subsequent affidavit, along with the other evidence in the case.
The state government is examining the ED’s request for registration of the corruption case based on legal advice.
