Govt will act as per law on ED communication against Pinarayi Vijayan: CM Satheesan

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Wednesday said the government would examine the Enforcement Directorate's communication to the State Police Chief in the CMRL-Exalogic case and take a decision in accordance with the law.

The ED has forwarded its findings and supporting documents to the Kerala State Police Chief under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), seeking registration of a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act and other applicable laws against former Chief Minister and Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T. Veena, and son-in-law P.A. Mohammed Riyas, among others.

Reacting to the development, Satheesan said the government would take a decision only after a legal examination of the material sent by the ED.

“This is not a political issue. The law will take its own course,” he said, adding that the ED had forwarded material in more than one case and stressed the need for the government to examine the evidence before taking a decision.

The Chief Minister also criticised the CPI(M)'s reaction to the ED's move, saying it was natural for the party to defend its leaders but described developments within the party as "strange".

Drawing a contrast with the Congress's approach when its leaders faced ED scrutiny, Satheesan said Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi had cooperated with the agency and undergone prolonged questioning, while Congress workers had not attacked ED officials.

On the PM SHRI scheme, he said a Cabinet sub-committee was examining the issue and would take a decision in due course. He alleged that a committee constituted by the previous LDF government on the matter had not met for seven months.

Defending his government's record on appointments to ministers' personal staff, Satheesan said the present administration had 476 personal staff members compared with 787 during the previous government headed by Pinarayi Vijayan. He said no minister in the current Cabinet had appointed more than 25 personal staff members and several had fewer than that number.

Reiterating the government's position, the Chief Minister said all decisions on the matter would be guided by legal procedures rather than political considerations.

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