CBI probe demand in Punarjani case a Gimmick, says KC Venugopal

The Congress on Sunday strongly criticised the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau’s (VACB) recommendation for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe against Kerala Assembly Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan in the ‘Punarjani’ housing project case , calling it a “political gimmick” by the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) ahead of the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections.

Congress General Secretary and MP K C Venugopal said the move was aimed at diverting public attention as the CPM faced growing anti-incumbency. “It is a political gimmick given the elections. No one can save the CPM government in the upcoming elections. They are also sure about that,” Venugopal said.

The VACB has recommended a CBI probe alleging that illegal foreign funds were received for the ‘Punarjani’ housing project, which was launched in 2019 to rehabilitate people who lost their homes in the devastating 2018 Kerala floods in Satheesan’s North Paravur constituency. The bureau has cited suspected violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 1976 , and raised questions over Satheesan’s foreign travels, allegedly undertaken without prior permission from the Kerala Assembly Speaker.

Since FCRA-related matters fall under the jurisdiction of central agencies, the vigilance bureau said a CBI investigation was necessary to examine the source and utilisation of the alleged foreign funds.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph dismissed the recommendation as a “futile attempt” by the state government. “The state vigilance has already conducted an investigation and found nothing against the Leader of Opposition. There is no need for further enquiries. This is purely political. We will face it both politically and legally,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Congress intensified its attack on the ruling CPM over the Sabarimala gold theft case, demanding a CBI probe and accusing the state government of shielding its own leaders.

Congress MLA Ramesh Chennithala termed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s allegations linking Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to the case as “absurd”.

“The Chief Minister’s statement is completely baseless. Three CPM leaders are already in jail in connection with the case. How can he claim it is politically motivated? The CPM has not taken any action against its own leaders who are in prison,” Chennithala said.

Alleging political patronage, Chennithala demanded a CBI probe into the gold theft, saying only a central investigation could bring out the truth and ensure accountability.

His remarks came after CPM leaders, including the Chief Minister, questioned Sonia Gandhi’s meeting with prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti and demanded an investigation.

With Assembly elections approaching, the allegations and counter-allegations have intensified the political contest in Kerala, pushing issues of corruption, political vendetta and the use of investigative agencies to the centre of campaign narratives.