CPM keeps away A Padmakumar from all activities

Kottayam: Senior CPM leader and former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar, who is an accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, will be kept away from all party activities though disciplinary action will be taken against him only after the chargesheets are filed. The decision was taken at a district secretariat meeting held in Pathanamthitta on Monday, attended by the party's central committee member T M Thomas Isaac.Padmakumar will remain in the district committee but will not be able to attend its meetings. The former Konni MLA claims to have done nothing wrong and his explanation to the party will be examined thoroughly. The action is taken against Padmakumar in the wake of the assembly elections. He was removed as LDF Aranmula constituency election committee convener on Sunday. Padmakumar is the 11th accused in the dwarapalaka (guardian deity) case and the eighth accused in kattilapadi (doorframe) case. He was released from jail recently after being arrested by the special investigation team.It was during Padmakumar's tenure that a decision was taken to hand over the gold artefacts for replating in 2019."Padmakumar has taken the stand that he has not committed any offence. He also answered all questions, which will be examined by the party committee," said Isaac.He said Padmakumar has not been suspended from the party. "Suspension is a punitive measure. What offences were committed by him will be revealed only after the charge sheet is filed," Isaac said.