Pinarayi government engaged in rampant corruption, alleges Chennithala

Thiruvananthapuram: Widespread corruption and money flow had happened in the name of consultancy during the first term of Pinarayi Vijayan, said senior congress leader and former leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala. The mastermind behind all these operations was M Sivasankar, former principal secretary of Chief Minister. 

In a statement released on Wednesday, Chennithala has said that, the recent revelations regarding the deposit of money into a bank account in Abu Dhabi by companies like PWC and SNC Lavalin are quite serious and suspicious. It is said that Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has started investigation in connection with the deposit of money into this account. Both SNC Lavalin and PWC were involved in serious allegations of corruption linked with LDF government, said Chennithala.  

 “If proper investigation would take place shocking details of the transactions would surely come out. The mastermind behind these operations is Sivasankar. The corruption money had gone to the account of many leaders in the cabinet and party as well. A sincere investigation should take place so that details regarding the shady deals would be revealed”, Chennithala said. 

“The gold smuggling through diplomatic baggage and Sivsankar’s intervention during the first Dubai trip of Chief Minister Pinarayi to take the baggage through diplomatic channel, seemed very suspicious. It is also quite evident that many ministers in the cabinet too had benefited through masala bond deal as money was sent from SNC Lavalin to the bank account in Abu Dhabi”, he said. 

“The first LDF government led by Pinarayi Vijayan had looted the treasury which was prevented to a great extent through the timely and effective intervention of the opposition.  Now, the company exposed by the opposition during the first term of Pinarayi Vijayan in connection with corruption has come up again as they deposited crores of money to a suspicious bank account linked with chief minister”, Chennithala said.