Kerala CPI(M) MLA Moideen at ED office, says 'was asked to come'

Kochi: Even as the Kerala Assembly resumed its sitting on Monday, top CPI(M) legislator and former Minister A.C. Moideen appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in a case of a scam in the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank Ltd in Trissur, which is his hometown.

Arriving in his vehicle, a grim-faced Moideen told the media that he has come before the ED after they asked him.

Incidentally, Moideen was served three notices in the past weeks and on two occasions he failed to turn up and finally decided to turn up on Monday.

ED has arrested two persons P. Satheesh Kumar and P. Kiran in the case.

Moideen was asked to appear before them following a raid at his Trissur residence last month.

The ED said that it has found out that Rs 150 crore was siphoned off from Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank Ltd in Trissur.

The ED investigation has revealed that on the instruction of certain persons, who were district level leaders and committee members of a "certain" political party, and held top positions, loans were disbursed by the Bank Manager through the agent in cash to "non-member benamis" by mortgaging properties of not so well-off individuals without their knowledge.

It has come to light that many 'benami loans' were disbursed on the instructions of Moideen.
—IANS