Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday mounted a fierce defence of his government in the face of increasingly strident allegations that his office had shielded an accused in a case relating to the smuggling of 35 kg of gold.
Mr. Vijayan said political propriety demanded that he removed his Secretary M. Sivasankar from the post after some quarters attempted to link the bureaucrat’s name with that of “controversial woman” alleged to be involved in the smuggling racket.
Mr. Sivasankar’s removal from the twin posts did not entail that the government had found the officer “guilty of some offence or misdemeanour”. He said there was intense speculation, much of it distorted, in the public sphere about Mr. Sivasankar and the woman. Hence, Mr. Sivasankar’s continuation in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) became untenable.
Customs staff statement
A statement by a Customs official that the CMO had not interfered in the gold smuggling case had thwarted the attempts of the Congress and the BJP to build a false public case against the government.
Mr. Vijayan said the “controversial woman” had gained employment as a marketing liaison officer in an IT Department venture through a placement agency. She had presented her tenure in the UAE consulate and Air India Stats as qualifications for the job. The public should know who recommended her for the previous assignments.
Government officials had interacted with her at Iftar parties and other functions organised by the UAE Consulate during her service as a senior executive in the mission. Mr. Vijayan said airports were under the control of the Central government.
Mr. Vijayan said he was personally inured to attempts to hound him out of public life. Some sections of the media played second fiddle to powers inimical to him.
He said the government had no guilt to hide and welcomed any inquiry.
Probe against channel
Mr. Vijayan said the police would investigate a television channel for airing a doctored video which showed the woman suspect whispering in his ear.
