The legal troubles of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader and former Public Works Minister V.K. Ebrahim Kunju, MLA, appeared to intensify on Thursday.
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has opened a preliminary inquiry against him on the charge of attempting to influence a witness in a money laundering charge under the consideration of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Mr. Kunju is already facing an investigation in the Palarivattom flyover construction scam case.
Girish Babu, complainant in the ED case, alleged that Mr. Kunju had offered him ₹5 lakh to withdraw the petition. Mr. Kunju had also allegedly attempted to induce Mr. Babu to give a written statement that his rivals in his party had instigated the complaint.
The High Court, based on a petition filed by Mr. Babu, had ordered the VACB to investigate the charge. Consequently, H. Venkatesh, Inspector General of Police, VACB, summoned Mr. Kunju and recorded his statement.
Allegations denied
Mr. Kunju has denied the allegations. The VACB had merely sought a confidential statement from him. He was not the subject of any criminal investigation, he said.
The latest controversy surrounding Mr. Kunju is central to the allegation that he had laundered ill-gotten wealth, an estimated ₹10 crore, by using the bank accounts of his party’s 80-year-old newspaper. Mr. Babu had alleged that the cash was part of the bribe Mr. Kunju had allegedly received from the builder of the now-defunct arterial six-lane flyover at Palarivattom in Kochi.
Subsequently, the VACB had raided the office of the newspaper in Kozhikode and seized documents and computer hard discs containing financial information. Mr. Kunju had maintained that the cash in the accounts of the paper was advertisement and circulation revenue and contribution from patrons. The IT Department had audited the finances of the newspaper earlier and found them to be above board.
