Kerala: CPI-M legislator writes to ED, says can't appear before it

Kochi, Aug 30 (IANS) Senior Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) legislator and former Kerala minister A.C. Moideen has written to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), stating he would be unable to appear before the agency officials on Thursday. 

On August 22, the ED conducted raids at Moideen's house in Trissur in connection with a money laundering case. Two days later -- on August 24 -- the ED asked him to appear on August 31 in its office for questioning. 

The ED claimed that it has found out that through an illegal activity, Rs 150 crore was siphoned off from Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank Ltd in Trissur.

The ED investigation has revealed that on the instruction of certain persons, who were district level leaders and committee members of a "certain" political party, and held top positions in the bank, loans were disbursed by the Bank Manager through the agent in cash to "non-member benamis" by mortgaging properties of not so well-off indivduals without their knowledge. 

It has come to light that many "benami loans" were disbursed on the instructions of Moideen. 

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, former manager of the Karuvannur Bank -- Biju Karim, and two other persons -- both middlemen, were questioned by the ED. 

Kerala unit CPI-M secretary M.V. Govindan, defending the top party leader, said the raid was a politically motivated one ahead of the Puthuppally by-election.