Crime Branch seals Noushad’s real estate firm

Kozhikode: The Crime Branch on Monday sealed the real estate business firm in the city, ‘Blue Metals,’ owned by P.M. Noushad, a  businessman close to former industries minister Elamaram Karim.

The move was in connection with the alleged receipt of Rs 5-crore bribe by Karim for facilitating an iron ore mining unit at Chakkittapara village in Kozhikode district. The CB team also conducted raids on  Noushad’ home and his other business firms.

MSPL, a company having business interests in mining and wind energy in Karnataka and Maharashtra, had received  in-principle sanction for the unit from the LDF government on April 23, 2010.

The   issue came to light when M.T. Subair, claiming to be the  driver of Noushad, told reporters  last Tuesday that the transaction took place a week before the government cleared the project. The amount was handed over to Noushad at Mascot Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram, he said.