(This is the second part of a series on the fake CSR scam. Read part I, part III, part IV.)
Kochi: Born into an impoverished family, Ananthu Krishnan began his career after completing his studies by joining a mushroom cultivation training program and working with Bharat Sevak Samaj (BSS). One day, he started a WhatsApp group named ‘Abdul Kalam Youth Forum’. This forum later evolved into a club and ultimately became Ananthu’s office. He quickly gained the trust of the youth and elderly people in his hometown of Kudayathoor in Thodupuzha. Even now, many villagers believe Ananthu has done no wrong.

Several years ago, Ananthu was involved in a cheque-bouncing case. However, he told the villagers that he was scammed by others. When creditors surrounded his house, Ananthu promised that he would cut his hair and shave his beard only after repaying all the money. He kept his word.

Later, Ananthu studied projects offering funds for agriculture, social, and service sectors. Fluent in English and Hindi, he developed contacts with political leaders in Delhi and other states. He also became vocal in promoting NGOs and CSR funds, eventually becoming the National Coordinator of an organization called the ‘National NGO Confederation.’ As the precursor to the CSR fund scam, he introduced the initial edition of the ‘half-price scheme’ and opened several consultancies in his name.

Ananthu soon began living a lavish lifestyle and acquiring property. On one occasion, he arrived at a plot to give a token advance of Rs 5 lakh. When the landowner requested an additional Rs 1 lakh, Ananthu immediately pulled out Rs 7 lakh from a sack and handed it over. Around this time, his mode of transport upgraded from a scooter to an Innova Crysta, and people began noticing his growing wealth. Ananthu travelled widely with the money he swindled from people, staying in high-end hotels and leading a luxurious lifestyle.

Ananthu blames Anand Kumar
In his statement to the police after his arrest, Ananthu alleged that complaints against the ‘half-price scheme’ arose because K N Anand Kumar, chairman of the National NGO Confederation, failed to fulfill his promise to arrange CSR funds from public and private sector companies. Ananthu claimed that Kumar had assured him that CSR funds would not be an issue, but trouble began when Ananthu had already collected a large sum for the scheme.

Government and ministers involved to boost credibility
Ananthu used various deceptive methods to create the impression that his scheme had approval from the Central government, including displaying a photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He widely circulated a video of his meeting with Modi while accompanying Ananda Kumar, to publicise the scheme. This tactic deceived several BJP leaders in Kerala. Ananthu also gained support from leaders of other parties by making them beneficiaries of the scheme. Local body representatives were involved to give an 'official' touch to the functions where the membership distribution took place.

Ananthu opened 62 societies under a single NGO, the Sardar Patel Institute of Advanced Research and Development Studies, and spread the word that his scheme was a Central Government program designed to attract people in Kerala towards the BJP. Another tactic was opening units of the Socio-Economic and Development Society (SEED) in each block, appointing political leaders and people's representatives as office-bearers to gain respectability.

With his persuasive speeches, Ananthu convinced ministers and top police officers to inaugurate his schemes. Dignitaries such as Ramachandran Kadannappalli, R Bindu, P Prasad, V Sivankutty, and J Chinchu Rani were among those involved. In Kozhikode, the scheme was implemented under the Police Association and inaugurated by Inspector General K Sethuraman. The project involved distributing sewing machines to the spouses of male police officers.

The scam exposed
However, as the promised items failed to be delivered, complaints began to mount across the state. Initially, Ananthu asked for more time to fulfill the deliveries, but when he missed the December 31 deadline, cases were filed against him, leading to his arrest.

Ananthu, the generous political funder
Police describe Ananthu as the most liberal political funder in Kerala before his arrest. If he reveals details about his political donations, the public image of several prominent politicians could be tarnished. Ananthu claimed that a senior CPM leader and a Congress representative in Idukki had collected Rs 2 crore each as donations from him.

C V Varghese, CPM Idukki district secretary, confirmed that Rs 2 lakh was received from Ananthu as a party fund. However, Varghese denied claims that Ananthu had deposited Rs 25 lakh in an account at Thankamany Cooperative Bank, stating that no such account existed.

Ananthu seeks security
Meanwhile, Ananthu has requested special security from the court, citing threats to his life. He pointed out that political leaders, senior officers, and members of the judiciary were involved in the case. 

Read part I, part III, part IV
(Additional reporting: Joe Mathew, Akash, Compilation: Santosh John Thooval)