Thiruvananthapuram: A day after Enforcement Directorate raids against former cooperation minister A C Moideen in connection with Karuvannur cooperative bank fraud, the ruling CPM leadership came down heavily against the central agency's action.
As a next step, the ED is set to serve notice to Moideen seeking his presence for questioning. The raids were carried out in connection with a money laundering investigation into the alleged Rs 100 crore fraud in Karuvannur Cooperative Bank which is controlled by the ruling CPM.
After the raids, the ED reportedly froze two bank accounts of the former minister.
The CPM alleged that the ED action was aimed at bringing the MLA under a cloud of suspicion. The ED officials had carried out raids at the residence of the former minister on Tuesday which went on for nearly 10 hours.
The CPM accused the central agency of deliberately attempting to create a false impression among the people about the MLA who is known for leading a clean public life. The raids can be seen as part of the nationwide intervention of the central government in using central agencies against opposition leaders.
Such raids are aimed at weakening the opposition parties, it said. The party said similar actions of the central investigating agencies have met with stiff opposition in different states, it said.
The party called upon the cadres and people at large to come out and protest against the highhandedness of the central government.
Several stories are being spread by party leaders and their family members ahead of the Puthupally election, it said.
