T’puram: CPM state secretary M V Govindan on Tuesday said the enforcement directorate’s (ED) move asking the state govt to register a case against leader of opposition Pinarayi Vijayan in the CMRL case was politically motivated. He said the CPM would counter the move politically and legally.Govindan said there was nothing new in ED’s latest move, claiming that the agency had taken similar action against several other non-BJP leaders in the past. He said ED’s move stemmed from the central agency’s realisation that the case registered on the basis of the SFIO report would not withstand legal scrutiny.Govindan said the party was clear about ED’s plans when Vijayan’s name was mentioned in the SFIO report. “All details were out then. The report said Rs 182 crore was given to political leaders. The names on the list included home minister Ramesh Chennithala, industries minister P K Kunhalikutty and former chief minister Oommen Chandy. But there is no case or investigation against any of them?” Govindan said.He added that the party would adopt a wait-and-watch approach to see what stand the UDF govt would take on the ED’s demand.Govindan said the ED’s demand that a case be registered against Vijayan on the basis of a statement given by a CMRL official was part of a common modus operandi. ED employed the same tactic in the Karuvannur cooperative bank case by turning the prime suspects into approvers, he said.Govindan reiterated the CPM’s position that Vijayan’s daughter Veena T received money from CMRL for services rendered to the company by her firm, Exalogic. There was no evidence to substantiate the claim that Vijayan had helped CMRL in any way by misusing his position as chief minister, he said.Govindan said courts had already rejected demands to register graft cases against Vijayan and his daughter.
