Union Minister slams Kerala CPI-M leadership over Cooperative Bank scam issue

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 16 (IANS) Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan on Saturday slammed the top CPI-M leadership for their 'role' in the over Rs 150 crore at the Trissur-Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank loan scam. 

Muraleedharan said "it has become very clear that the scam had the blessings of the top state CPI-M leadership". 

"It's now clear that the CPI-M leadership is involved. It would be best if CPI-M state secretary M.V. Govindan stopped saying the routine narrative -- the Centre is haunting. The CPI-M should now take up the responsibility of it," said Muraleedharan. 

The top brass of the Kerala unit of CPI-M is in a state of flux after top CPI-M legislator and former Minister A.C. Moideen saw a raid at his house in Trissur by Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials and then was subjected to questioning for over eight hours on Monday at their Kochi office. 

According to sources, what has sent shockwaves to the CPI-M is that Moideen has been asked to turn up again on Tuesday. 

The ED has been in hot pursuit in this case and has arrested two persons -- P. Satheesh Kumar and P. Kiran, so far.

The agency has also questioned a few others -- most of them either employees of the bank or top local CPI-M leaders in the district. 

Speculations suggested that two-time former CPI-M Lok Sabha member P.K. Biju might be asked to appear before the ED. 

The ED claimed that 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, loans were disbursed by the bank manager through the agent in cash to "non-member benamis" by mortgaging properties of not so well-off individuals without their knowledge. 

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