Vigilance probe against Mathew Kuzhalnadan a political vendetta by Left govt: Congress

Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi: A day after the Left government sanctioned a vigilance probe against Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan, his party and its UDF alliance on Thursday rallied behind him and said they would politically and legally defend him as the ruling dispensation attempts to implicate him in a false case.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state assembly V D Satheesan alleged that the probe was part of the government's political vendetta.

"The UDF and the Congress will politically and legally defend Mathew Kuzhalnadan as the (government) attempts to implicate him in a false case for raising his voice against corruption," he said.

Satheesan alleged that the probe against Kuzhalnadan was launched because he pointed out that Chief Minister Pinarayi VIjayan and his family members had been involved in corruption.

Satheesan also alleged that Vijayan and some others had conspired to frame late Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in a sexual exploitation case and after that they tried to implicate KPCC chief K Sudhakaran and himself (LoP) in false cases.

"Now they have gone after Kuzhalnadan," he said and added that Vijayan was using the "shameless political tactic" of using investigative agencies to target political opponents.

Later in the day, Kuzhalnadan spoke along similar lines at a press conference held in Kochi.

The Congress MLA from Muvattupuzha alleged that the permission given for the vigilance probe was both "arbitrary and illegal" as it was not done according to the procedure established under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Therefore, he said, he would use this opportunity to show that the government was misusing the state machinery to target its political opponents.

At the same time, he said the government is free to carry out as many probes against him as it wants as long as it is done within the framework of the law.

"I am ready to face any probe as a common man. I will cooperate with any probe as a leader, an MLA and an individual," he said.

The MLA said he would not be demoralised by initiation of a vigilance probe and would fight it legally.

While showing his readiness to face any probe, Kuzhalnadan said that Vijayan's recent claim that his name does not figure in the report of the Income Tax Interim Settlement Board was a "blatant lie". He was referring to allegations that Vijayan's daughter's IT firm was paid by a private company for services not rendered, and that it was in lieu of gaining influence with the CM.

The MLA alleged that the only reason Vijayan's daughter T Veena was paid Rs 1.72 crore by Cochin Minerals And Rutile Ltd despite her firm rendering no service to the company was because her father was the Kerala CM.

The Congress MLA said that if Vijayan can prove that the 'PV' mentioned in the Income Tax Interim Settlement Board's findings was not 'Pinarayi Vijayan', he would resign from his position as an MLA.

He said that the CM should rectify his "lie" and apologise to the public.

On being asked whether he would resign following the permission given for a vigilance probe against him, Kuzhalnadan said there is no reason to do so when allegations are being made without any proof.

"They are trying to brand me a corrupt person. I will not allow that. I will not succumb," he said.

Kuzhalnadan said he has the full support and backing of his party and its leadership and that is what is giving him the strength to follow through with the fight.

The LoP, in his statement, also alleged that the CM and his government, which are "submerged in corruption", should not try to intimidate UDF leaders by using the vigilance department and police to trap them in false cases.

The Left government had on Wednesday given permission for a preliminary probe by the vigilance bureau into the alleged illegalities in the sale and registration of land by Kuzhalnadan in Chinnakanal area of Idukki district in the state.

The accusations of money laundering and tax evasion against him in connection with the land deal came in the wake of him dragging Public Works Minister P A Mohamed Riyas into a row over financial transactions by his wife Veena (daughter of CM Vijayan), asking why he had not disclosed its details in his election affidavit if the dealings were transparent and legal. PTI