Thiruvananthapuram: Any move by the Pinarayi Vijayan government to bring an Ordinance to keep out the CBI from the ongoing probe into the Life Mission project will be countered with legal and political steps, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said on Tuesday.
Chennithala said this while speaking to the media here and claimed that he has got information that the law department is taking steps to come out with an Ordinance, which will keep the CBI out of the ongoing Life Mission housing project probe.
"You all can also find out and if this happens, I will take legal steps and also take it up politically. First we will go and meet the Governor and brief him about what's happening and will request him not to sign the Ordinance. If things do not end with it, then it will be legal steps," said Chennithala.
"The CBI has registered the case as foreign exchange rules have been violated and they have already begun the probe also. All along Vijayan was saying they are ready for any probe and it was he who himself wrote to the Centre seeking probe by national agencies. Now they know they are trapped and hence they are coming out with this Ordinance. This is in violation of all Constitutional norms and it will be opposed by us," added Chennithala.
The CBI on Friday not only filed a detailed report in the special court here on the Kerala government's now controversial Life Mission housing project, but also registered a case that was filed at the Ernakulam Chief Judicial magistrate court.
The Life Mission project, a pet one for Vijayan ever since he assumed office in 2016, was floated to build houses for the homeless and landless, using funds from sponsorships. The role of the state government was limited to providing the land.
The project, however, ran into trouble when Anil Akkara, the Congress legislator from Wadakkanchery in Thrissur, first raised questions about the wrongdoings in a building project in his constituency, with funds from UAE-based charity organisation Red Crescent.
Vijayan is the chairman of Life Mission and his trusted aide, State Local Self Government Minister A.C. Moideen is the vice-chairman .