Congress MP failed to return Rs 2 crore borrowed for 2019 polls: Finance firm owner

Kochi: The owner of a finance company on Saturday alleged that Congress MP Anto Antony had borrowed Rs 2 crore for the 2019 election but had not returned the money.

N M Raju, owner of the Nedumparambil Credit Syndicate (NCS), made this allegation.

NCS, a finance company based in Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district, is facing multiple cheating cases being investigated by the Crime Branch and a money laundering probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Raju was also a prominent leader of Kerala Congress (Mani), which was earlier part of the UDF before switching to the LDF in 2020.

Addressing a press conference, Raju said that in 2019, when Kerala Congress (M) was part of the UDF, Antony contested the Lok Sabha election from Pathanamthitta, while the current Kerala Health Minister, Veena George, was the LDF candidate.

He said that during the election campaign, Antony and his wife had visited his house multiple times seeking financial assistance.

“They said their campaign was struggling as the funds they expected did not come through. At various stages of the election campaign, he took loans amounting to Rs 2 crore from our company,” Raju said.

He said he had no liability to protect Antony.

“He promised to return the money within two months. But even after seven years, despite repeated requests by us, including my daughter, even during our crisis period, he did not agree to return the money,” Raju said.

He said that after persistent demands, Antony later returned Rs 20 lakh.

“Antony has not returned the remaining amount till now,” he said.

Raju said the loan was given without collateral, through bank transactions, and that it was not black money.

“It was done due to our personal relationship. It was done in an unusual manner considering his situation at that time, and we were part of the UDF,” he said.

He said he was stating the facts and that if further cases followed, so be it.

Raju also dismissed reports that Sabarimala tantri (chief priest) Kandararu Rajeevaru had invested Rs 2 crore in NCS.

Rajeevaru was arrested in the Sabarimala gold loss case.

“The tantri lives in Chengannur, and my house is in Thiruvalla. I have not met him till now,” he said.

Recently, CPI(M) leader K P Udayabhanu in Pathanamthitta had alleged that money deposited by Rajeevaru in NCS was given to Antony.

“I don’t know why Udayabhanu has raised such a baseless allegation. But I am sure that Jose K Mani is not behind it,” Raju said.

Responding to the allegations, Antony told reporters that several people, including Raju, had helped him during the election as he did not have sufficient money to meet campaign expenses.

He said that in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the LDF and the BJP, which were in power at the state and Centre respectively, were spending crores of rupees in Pathanamthitta, and to face them, he had sought financial assistance.

“I was in a situation where it felt like our campaign had come to a standstill,” Antony said.

He said that in 2019, Raju was part of the UDF and treasurer of the Kerala Congress party.

Antony said that two months after the election, Raju asked him to return the amount.

“I gave it back. But I was not the only person he helped during the election. He has told me about help given to CPI(M) candidates and his own party leaders,” Antony said.

When asked whether he had borrowed Rs 2 crore from Raju, Antony declined to comment.

“I have said what I know. I don’t know more about his claims. I have returned the money that he gave,” Antony said.

He said that if Raju had any complaint, he could pursue legal action.

“I considered it financial help for the election. But when he asked for the money, it was returned,” Antony said.

Antony added that the allegation was part of a conspiracy to frame him, but it has not yielded results.