Thiruvananthapuram: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has served yet another notice on C M Raveendran, additional private secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, to appear before it for questioning. According to the notice, Raveendran should present himself before ED officials on Thursday.

Incidentally, this is the fourth time that ED is sending a notice to Raveendran. The ED initiated the move to interrogate him based on certain disclosures made by Swapna Suresh, an accused in the gold smuggling case related to the illegal money transactions in the K-Fon and Life Mission projects.

Raveendran had evaded the ED’s notice for questioning on all the three previous occasions citing COVID-19 and other health issues.

The opposition had alleged that Raveendran was trying to evade questioning. The central intelligence agency too had made enquiries about Raveendran's health status.

According to the legal opinion received by ED, if Raveendran has to be arraigned as an accused in the case based on the emerging evidence then it will be enough to submit an additional report in the court. On the basis of the evidence received now, Raveendran is a witness in the case, said investigating officials.

Raveendran reportedly has spondylolysis and the post-COVID complications might have aggravated his pain.

The doctors said surgery would be avoided at this stage and the problem would be managed through

physiotherapy and medication. His neuro complications are also being evaluated in detail.

Medical college Superintendent Dr M S Sharmad said that a special medical certificate has not been attached with the letter sent to the investigating agency for exempting Raveendran from questioning.