‘Raveendran skipping ED summons to hide secrets’

KOZHIKODE: The opposition on Wednesday sharpened its attack on the LDF government saying that Pinarayi Vijayan’s additional private secretary C M Raveendran has been evading interrogation as he has many things to hide.
Raveendran, who was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate, was hospitalized on Tuesday, apparently because of post-Covid health issues.
UDF and BJP leaders tried to put the CPM on the defensive saying that Raveendran was avoiding questioning because he has secrets to hide.
Addressing a meet-the-leader programme organised by the Calicut Press Club, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said enough security should be provided to Raveendran as in the case of Swapna Suresh, the accused in the gold smuggling case.
Many VIPs will be in trouble if Raveendran is interrogated and that is why his appearance before the ED has been postponed, he said.
“Raveendran should be examined by a team of doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences,” Chennithala said.
He added that the government is trying to sabotage the investigation into the gold smuggling case and asked the government to divulge the name of the VIP referred to by Swapna in her statement. “People have the right to know about the person who is involved in the reverse hawala,” he said.
KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran said Raveendran’s life is in danger as he is the ‘storehouse of secrets’ of many VIPs, including the chief minister. Addressing a news conference in Kannur, he said Raveendran is employing the same strategy used by M Shivashankar when confronted with the ED.
About the threat to Swapna’s life, Mullappally said the chief minister will be responsible if anything happens to her. The Congress leader alleged that Pinarayi has stalled the investigation into the leaking Swapna’s voice message.
BJP state president K Surendran said Raveendran is staging a drama with the help of the health minister K K Shailaja. Addressing a news conference in Kannur, he said medical colleges have turned into asylums for criminals.
Meanwhile, BJP national executive council member P K Krishnadas told reporters in Kasaragod that the chief minister himself is behind the move to issue threats to Swapna. He demanded that the officers who threatened her should be identified.