Kerala Opposition steps up pressure for probe against CPM leader's son in connection with drugs racket

With fresh allegations coming up against CPM Kerala secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's son Bineesh Kodiyeri in connection with drug peddling rackets and Kerala gold smuggling racket, Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front is mounting pressure on the government to order a probe against Bineesh.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday sent a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan demanding a comprehensive probe in the wake of alleged links of those held in Bengaluru for drug peddling with Bineesh and some other known persons in Malayalam film industry. The drug peddling rackets was suspected to have established deep rooted connections in Kerala with nexus with top political leaderships, said Chennithala.

READ: Bengaluru drug scam echoes in Kerala

There were reports that the drug peddling accused was in touch with a popular Malayalam filmmaker also. The drug peddling racket members also allegedly had a night party at a resort in Kerala during the lockdown.

Meanwhile, Muslim Youth League state general secretary P K Firoz said that alleged that Bineesh started a foreign exchange firm in Bengaluru in 2015 and it was also suspected that the firm was started to handle foreign currency earned through drug peddling to tourists. A firm in Thiruvananthapuram from which Kerala gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh was said to have received commissions is suspected to be run by an associate of Bineesh and he could be acting as a benami of Bineesh. Central agencies including the Enforcement Directorate should probe into these aspects also, he demanded.

BJP Kerala president K Suredran also demanded that a separate case should be registered in Kerala and a probe initiated as the links of drug peddling rackets in the state came to light. Apart from Bineesh Kodiyeri, many in the Malayalam film industry were found to have links with the drug peddling racket busted in Bengaluru. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's hesitation to order probe raises suspicion whether he had something to hide, said Surendran.