ED probe into KIIFB, summons to Thomas Isaac, all set for political slugfest in Kerala

Amidst the brewing political tension, the High Court today posted Isaac's plea challenging the ED summons for further consideration to next week and reserved orders in the PIL moved by five LDF MLAs against the probe into KIIFB financial dealings.

Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram: The summons issued to senior CPI(M) leader Thomas Isaac by the ED over KIIFB transactions has set the stage for a political slugfest in Kerala with the Left and Congress on Thursday questioning the central agency's action, while the BJP termed the two rival fronts as "birds of a feather". Isaac and the ruling LDF have also initiated a legal battle by challenging in the Kerala High Court the Enforcement Directorate's "fishing and roving" exercise", alleging that it was aimed at discrediting the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).

Amidst the brewing political tension, the High Court today posted Isaac's plea challenging the ED summons for further consideration to next week and reserved orders in the PIL moved by five LDF MLAs against the probe into KIIFB financial dealings. It all started after Isaac, apparently armed with the support of his party CPI(M), decided not to appear before the ED till the court decides his petition.

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led central government, Isaac, earlier in the day, said they were using the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as a "political tool" to "isolate, arrest or detain their opponents or topple state governments ruled by opposition without any hesitation". Throwing his weight behind Isaac, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state assembly, V D Satheesan, said the agency cannot probe foreign financial dealings and its notices to the CPI(M) leader were of no relevance.

BJP state president K Surendran criticised both the CPI(M) and the Congress over the issue, questioning why Satheesan was trying to rescue the CPI(M) leader. He alleged that "they are all birds of a feather" as they all are afraid of an ED probe into the various financial irregularities committed by them. Surendran, speaking to reporters in Thrissur, further said that just because ED was questioning Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, was the party of the view that the agency should not probe anything across the country.

He also asked whether other Congress leaders, including Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K Sudhakaran, shared the same view or stand as Satheesan. Earlier, CPI(M) MLAs K K Shailaja, I B Sathish and actor M Mukesh, CPI MLA E Chandrasekharan and Congress (Secular) MLA Kadannappalli Ramachandran had moved a joint plea in the high court against the ED probe alleging that the same was a "fishing and roving" exercise aimed at discrediting the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).

They had also claimed that the actions of ED will adversely affect or bring to a halt over 900 development projects, worth around Rs 73,000 crore, in the state. During the hearing of Isaac's plea, the high court asked why ED cannot question someone if it has any doubts and at the same time it told the probe agency that the privacy of an individual cannot be violated.

Isaac, in his plea, has contended that the agency has no power to question him or ask for his personal information or details just because he was the former head of KIIFB and was its ex-officio member presently. Taking note of his contentions, the court said that the privacy of an individual cannot be violated.

The lawyer appearing for the agency said that the investigating officer asked for documents that he felt were required for the inquiry and it was the prerogative of the ED. He also said that presently the ED has only issued a summons and Isaac should cooperate with the investigation. The ED had served a notice to the senior Marxist leader last month, seeking his appearance before it on July 19. He, however, did not appear before the probe agency, saying he had to attend classes at a party-run institute in the state capital.

Then, Isaac had termed the ED notice to him as a 'political move' by the BJP government at the Centre, alleging it was misusing all investigation agencies for its political gains. The second notice seeking his appearance was sent by ED in the first week of August.

In his reply to the second notice, Isaac has contended that the summons issued to him should be withdrawn or recalled by the ED and it should refrain from initiating further proceedings against him in the matter.