BJP leader and former Kerala state president K. Surendran on Friday alleged that there had been attempts to interfere with and settle the investigation into the mineral sand case. He claimed that the previous LDF government had made significant efforts to obstruct the probe by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office and that the situation had not changed even after the UDF came to power.
Speaking to reporters in Thrissur, Surendran said that legal attempts by CMRL had failed in court and alleged that the Enforcement Directorate was denied justice during the Assembly election period. He claimed that the court permitted the ED to proceed with the case only after the elections.
Surendran further alleged that ED officials did not receive adequate police protection during inspections and that a planned attack was carried out against them. He said some arrests were later made as part of a compromise and claimed that the UDF government’s stance became evident when the accused were produced before the court.
According to him, many of those arrested were charged under bailable sections, enabling them to secure bail. He also alleged that unusual developments occurred in courts in Thiruvananthapuram and that prosecutors appeared without sufficient documents to effectively oppose bail applications.
Surendran alleged that the UDF wanted the accused in the case to escape punishment and claimed that if the investigation proceeded properly, several prominent figures in the present government could face difficulties. He demanded that central agencies investigate the case, arguing that a probe by the state police would not be effective.
BJP state secretary M. V. Gopakumar and Thrissur City district president Justin Jacob were also present.
