Gold smuggling case: Kerala minister's son under ED scanner

In a recent development to the Kerala gold smuggling case, the Enforcement Directorate will be quizzing Industries Minister E. P. Jayarajan's son after some of his pictures with prime accused Swapna Suresh surfaced. The case pertains to the seizure of 30 kg gold worth Rs 15 crore concealed in diplomatic consignment at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport by the Customs Department.

Trivandrum: The woes of the ruling Pinarayi Vijayan government, currently caught in various scams and allegations, continue unabated as the son of the second in command, Industries Minister E. P. Jayarajan is the latest to face the heat.

This came just days after the Enforcement Directorate questioned son of another powerful CPI-M leader, state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan for over 11 hours.

The common link between the two is their link with the now arrested and prime accused in the controversial gold smuggling case, Swapna Suresh.

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While Jayarajan and his wife P.K. Indira are presently convalescing at a hospital in Kannur, their home town, after turning COVID positive, there has been no word from them so far.

It was Kerala BJP president K. Surendran who first broke the news of the involvement of Jayarajan's son, who is alleged to have got a huge sum as commission after Swapna managed to get a project cleared for building homes for the poor under Vijayan's pet project 'Life Mission'.

Soon after Surendran broke the news, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala also attacked the CPI(M) leader.

Swapna using her influence was able to get a UAE based charity organisation 'Red Crescent' to participate as the construction was handed to a private player. The state government provided the land for this project.

The news of Jayarajan's son surfaced two days after the ED questioned Bineesh Kodiyeri.

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The ED is all set to question senior bureaucrat U.V.Jose, the CEO of 'Life Mission'.

The ED may also look into the details of a party, which was held in the state capital in which Swapna, son of Jayarajan and a few others took part.

The ED is also trying to establish whether a picture of Jayarajan's son, which has now surfaced with Swapna, was morphed or not one. According to sources in the know of things, the senior CPI-M leader's son will be called in for questioning shortly.

Adding to more trouble for Jayarajan is that his wife, who is a retired banker last week, while she was in isolation after giving her sample for COVID test, arrived at the bank and had operated her bank locker.

IANS report