Kochi: CPI(M) District Secretary MM Varghese has conveyed his decision not to attend the Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioning in the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank fraud case. Varghese cited his inability to be present due to the Navakerala Sadas event that is taking place simultaneously.
The ED has expressed dissatisfaction stating that MM Varghese is not cooperating with the interrogation. MM Varghese was asked to appear before the ED for the third time since he had neither provided with the requested documents to the ED nor did he provide with the complete information of his account.
Varghese had sought an extension from the ED, an extension to delay his appearance until after the 7th of this month. Varghese had been interrogated twice before on November 24 and December 1. He appeared both times only when his leave of absence application was rejected and strict instructions were given for him to appear. As he appeared for questioning twice, the ED is contemplating the possibility of reconsidering and approving his application.
There were allegations that the party had secret accounts in Karuvannur Bank and they received commissions on fake loans which were sanctioned by the party sub-committee. Based on these allegations, the district secretary MM Varghese was investigated, by taking into account, the statements of the former governing body members and employees of the bank.
The ED said that the commission amount of the benami loans reached the party accounts and the amount was withdrawn from these accounts after the fraud came to light. The ED had highlighted that two accounts were functioning and after allegations of irregularities were raised, the money in the accounts was withdrawn and emptied.
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