KT Jaleel, Minister for Higher Education, reportedly told the sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate that he was ignorant about the protocol laws which prohibited public servants from interacting with diplomats and high ranking officials from foreign countries.
Jaleel, summoned by the ED, was interrogated for more than two hours on Friday about his acceptance of gifts and Qurans sent by the UAE Government during the Ramadan period.
The Minister said that he was willing to send back the Qurans which were ‘gifted’ by the UAE Consulate. He also reiterated that he never had any personal dealings with Swapna Suresh, the kingpin of the gold smuggling racket. The media in Kerala had reported that the minister was having “hours and hours” of telephonic chat with Swapna since March 2020 and his claims that he had called her for official works were not true.
Meanwhile Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala unleashed a ruthless attack on the CPI(M) on Saturday describing the party as anti-national and un-democratic. He accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of protecting and saving Jaleel.
“This is the first time in Kerala’s history a minister is interrogated by ED, one of the top investigating agencies in the country. Jaleel was accompanied by a person who himself is an accused in criminal cases and a close associate of CPI(M) leaders in New Delhi,” said Chennithala.
Senior BJP leaders B Gopalakrishnan and five others were injured in police lathicharge at Thrissur on Saturday. Gopalakrishnan was leading a rally towards the Police Commissioner’s Office demanding Jaleel’s resignation. The police resorted to lathicharge when the demonstrators tried to jump over the barricade and enter the PCO. Elsewhee in the State, BJP and BJYM took out processions despite heavy rains. Many activists were injured in police resorted to lathicharge and bursting of tear gas shells.