Congress leader N M Vijayan's death: CPI(M) wants to invoke abetment charges against MLA

Wayanad, Kerala: The suicide of a local Congress leader and his bedridden son has triggered a political row in Kerala's Wayanad as the ruling CPI(M) alleged that a cooperative bank job scam involving the grand old party's MLA I C Balakrishnan was the reason for their extreme step.

However, Balakrishnan has denied the charges.

Wayanad District Congress Committee (DCC) treasurer and former Sultan Bathery panchayat president, N M Vijayan, 78, and his son Jijesh, 38 had breathed their last at Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital on Friday.

Soon after their death, allegations cropped up that Vijayan, in his capacity as the office bearer of the party, had accepted money from many who aspired to get a job in a Congress-controlled cooperative bank under the direction of MLA Balakrishnan.

There were also reports that as the promised job appointments were not given, the deceased leader recently sent a letter to the KPCC chief requesting his intervention in the matter.

Though I C Balakrishnan, who represents Sulthan Bathery constituency, vehemently rejected the charges, the CPI(M) district leadership on Sunday urged the police to invoke abetment of suicide charges against him in the death of the Vijayan and his son.

"Earlier also, many people approached public activists with complaints on the recruitment issues. They did not reveal the complaints openly out of fear that they wouldn't get their money back. They also faced several threats," CPI(M) Wayanad district secretary K Rafeeq said.

He said, as per his knowledge, those who had given money for the job, are now getting ready to pursue legal measures against the accused. Corruption issues were involved in the matter as money was accepted illegally promising jobs, he further said.

"A person who is holding the post of the MLA has a key role in the issue. There is also another issue that the KPCC leadership was not ready to intervene in it despite receiving a complaint. So, the CPI(M) is viewing it as a serious matter," Rafeeq added.

However, I C Balakrishnan said he would face the issue legally with the permission of the Congress party.

The MLA said he had not seen the purported document — circulated by a section of media — reportedly signed by the deceased leader and a job aspirant which allegedly said that Rs 30 lakh was given for the appointment as directed by Balakrishnan.

Balakrishnan told reporters here that it was a fake document and he had no knowledge about a contract like this.

He also said that he would lodge a complaint to the district police chief soon.

Vijayan and his son Jijesh allegedly consumed poison at their home and were found by their neighbours in critical condition on Tuesday, police said.

They were initially admitted to a private hospital and later shifted to Kozhikode Medical College.

Vijayan was a prominent Congress leader in Wayanad. Jijesh, a former employee of Sultan Bathery Cooperative Bank, had been bedridden for an extended period due to health issues.