The multicrore financial scandals rocking the LDF and UDF in Kerala, stretched to Delhi on Thursday, with two left MPs being accused of taking money from a murder accused.
The family of S Sajith, key accused in a 2005 highway murder case in Alappuzha, has claimed that they had given money to CPM MP K S Manoj that year and not to PCC chief Ramesh Chennithala.
However, the two MPs have denied the incident. The accusation was made by Sajith’s brother Rajith in dramatic circumstances at Paravur in Ernakulam, when the police picked up Sajith from the midst of a news conference.
The arrest came just a day ahead of the commencement of trial in the highway ‘murder’, which had shaken the State. At the new conference, Sajith said that he was under immense pressure from certain politicians to give a statement against Kerala PCC president Ramesh Chennithala.
It may be noted that the Government had recently ordered a vigilance inquiry into a CPM legislator’s charge that Chennithala had received illegal financial benefits to the tune of Rs 10 crore from Sajith. Mr Chennithala and the UDF had rubbished the accusation as an LDF ploy to divert attention from the multicrore corruption scandals the CPM was mired in.
Sajith explained at the news conference that his house was being kept under police surveillance following the new political developments.
Soon, a police team led by the Paravur circle inspector called him out of his house and arrested him. It was during the commotion that Rajit made the new accusations against the LDF MPs.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy has warned the CPM against misusing power and the legislature to malign its opponents. “The government’s attempts to cow down the Opposition in this manner and divert attention from the CPM’s internal turmoil will not succeed,’’ he said here.
Sajith and Bineesh, who ran a thriving chitfund business in Paravur, were accused of plotting the highway murder of their business rival Ramesh on July 21, 2005.
Three people including Ramesh and his sister perished in a road ‘accident’ which had all the trappings of a murder.
The two accused managed to abscond for months apparently with the help of politicians who were their well-wishers. The duo later managed to secure bail.
