Is Kerala Speaker Sreeramakrishnan the big shot named by Swapna?

Thiruvananthapuram: The CPM is in a spot of bother amid the ongoing local body elections in Kerala as it grapples for answers to questions about the identity of the political big shot alleged to be involved in the gold smuggling racket.

The main accused in the gold smuggling case, Swapna Suresh, made a serious allegation to that effect in a secret deposition to the court the other day. This coincides with BJP state president K Surendran's claim on Tuesday that the VIP was none other than Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan.

CPM leaders wonder how did Surendran manage to get information from the secret confessions made by Swapna in the court.

Although talks of high-level involvement in assisting those accused of gold smuggling have been on for a few days, no one had been named. While Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala had said that he doubted someone holding a constitutional position, he did not say that it was the Speaker.

Neither the government nor the Speaker nor the CPM has been able to come up with clarification so far. In the history of Kerala, no such allegation has ever been levelled against a Speaker by political opponents.

The Speaker's office has also been silent. The leaders of the Left Front say there is no need to respond to “imaginary” charges. They have dismissed the allegations which they feel are based on the Speaker's association with Swapna when she was an employee of the UAE Consulate.

The CPM suspects that Swapna is trying to become an approver in the case by showing a willingness to cooperate with the central investigating agencies.

It has also been protesting what it feels is an attempt to use the main accused in the case to let loose the central agencies in a political game to target the ruling party, especially in an election season. The party is likely preparing for a confrontation with the Centre after the ongoing civic election.

Meanwhile, chief minister’s additional private secretary CM Raveendran, who was summoned by the ED for questioning, got himself admitted to hospital for the third time, likely with the nod of the CPM leadership. The CPM obviously wanted to avoid his questioning on the first day of the three-phase polling itself. The Opposition wonders whether Raveendran is really ill or is he has become a thorn for the ruling party. Although it is known that the ED will not back down, the Left groups think that the interrogation should be delayed till at least December 14, when the third and final round of voting of the local body elections will get over.

Speaker facilitated smuggling: Surendran 

Kochi: BJP state president K Surendran had alleged that Kerala Assembly speaker had facilitated the gold and dollar smuggling activities of international criminals.

It’s not just the speaker, even state ministers helped in gold smuggling, he said. Many of the foreign trips made by the Speaker were unauthorised and mysterious. It is a serious crime to abuse a Constitutional post to help underworld groups, he said.

The ultimate beneficiary of the gold smuggling racket was the chief minister and his office. The Speaker and the ministers collaborated in the racket.

When the court itself states that the information presented in the sealed cover is shocking it reveals how serious the case is, Surendran remarked.

Surendran also said the verdict in the local body elections would be in favour of the BJP-led NDA.

Bid to discredit Speaker: Vijayaraghavan

Kozhikode: CPM state secretary A Vijayaraghavan has alleged that BJP state president K Surendran is deliberately trying to insult the Speaker. This is a matter that is sub-judice, he said.

The many statements given by the accused in the case to the central investigation agencies are being leaked to the political opposition in the state. It is obvious that the central agencies are functioning to further the political interests of the Centre, Vijayaraghavan said while participating in the meet-the-leader programme organised by the Kozhikode Press Club.

He wanted to know how the BJP got access to the content of the statements that were supposed to be secret. He said the source of the statements should be investigated.

Probe overseas trips: Mullapally

Thiruvananthapuram: KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran has demanded a detailed investigation into the foreign trips of the chief minister, the ministers and the Speaker. He said the investigations should also look into whether the green channel facility given to them was misused for anti-national activities.

The revelations that a top leader occupying a constitutional post was involved in gold smuggling and reverse hawala is quite serious, he said.

The chief minister who is in charge of the home department, which also includes intelligence, cannot wash his hands off by saying he had no knowledge of such activities, Mullappally stated.