The Kerala High Court on Friday sought the response of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a plea for a probe by the agency into the Kodakara black money heist case allegedly involving State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.
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Justice Mary Joseph passed the order on a petition filed by Salim Madavur, president, Lok Tantrik Yuva Janata Dal, seeking a directive to the ED to take a call on a representation given by him seeking an investigation into the economic offences as revealed during the Kodakara police investigation into the heist.
According to the petitioner, looting of illegal funds to the tune of ₹3.5 crore meant for spending for the Assembly elections had taken place near Kodakara, Thrissur, on April 3. Initially, a crime was registered on a complaint by the owner of the vehicle saying that ₹25 lakh was looted.
However, a further investigation had revealed that the loss of amount came to almost ₹3.5 crore. The investigation had revealed commission of an economic offence punishable under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. But the officers concerned of the ED had refused to take any decision on his repeated representation. Nor the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Thrissur, who was duty-bound to forward his findings to the ED, had not done anything in this regard, the petitioner alleged
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When the petition came up for hearing, T.A. Unnikrishnan, Special Public Prosecutor, ED, sought more time to apprise the court of the agency's stand. The court posted the petition for further hearing after 10 days.