The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] on Saturday expelled party Valiyamaram West branch committee member Vijayakrishnan over his alleged involvement in a case related to the smuggling of banned tobacco products.
In August 2022, the police seized tobacco products worth ₹45 lakh near Alappuzha Collectorate. Vijayakrishnan is one of the accused in the case.
The CPI(M) decided not to give party membership to former Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) local leader Sinaf who acted as surety to get bail for Vijayakrishnan in the case. The DYFI, meanwhile, said that both Vijayakrishnan and Sinaf had been expelled from the organisation after the case surfaced.
Two weeks ago, the CPI (M) suspended Alappuzha municipal councillor and party Alappuzha North area committee member A. Shanavas from party membership over his alleged links to the accused in a case related to the seizure of banned tobacco products worth ₹1 crore at Karunagappally. It had also ousted party Sea View branch committee member Ijaz Iqbal, an accused in the case. Iqbal is also a co-accused in the tobacco seizure case registered in August.
