T G Nandakumar alias ‘Dallal’ (broker) Nandakumar, who is an alleged middleman in several political controversies, raised serious allegations against senior Congress leader A K Antony’s son and BJP candidate in Pathanamthitta Anil Antony.

However, Anil dismissed the charges calling it part of dirty politics of Congress.

Nandakumar accused Anil Antony of taking Rs 25 lakh from him for the appointment of a CBI standing counsel in the Kerala High Court.

Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, Nandakumar said Anil took money from him in 2013 after promising to get his friend appointed CBI standing consul in the high court.

Nandakumar further said that he approached Anil considering his proximity to the then CBI director Ranjit Sinha.

In a more serious allegation, Nandakumar said Anil used to make huge money by leaking defence-related files to middlemen when his father was the defence minister.

He said late Congress leader P T Thomas and former Rajya Sabha deputy chairman and Congress leader P J Kurian knew about the deals. As the promise was not kept, Anil returned the money during the NDA regime.

He threatened to reveal more details if Anil denied the allegations.

Responding to the allegation, P J Kurien said Dallal Nandakumar had approached him seeking help to get back the money paid to Anil Antony. “I can’t remember whether I asked A K Antony or Anil Antony to return the money if at all the dealings happened. I communicated with one of them,” Kurian said.

However, Congress MLA Uma Thomas, wife of late PT Thomas said what Nandakumar said is not true. P T Thomas had not said anything regarding this to her.

Dismissing the allegations, Anil Antony said on Wednesday that the Congress was playing dirty politics after realising that he would win the elections from Pathanamthitta.

“First, they tried to tear me down by bringing Oommen Chandy’s family to campaign against me. Then P J Kurian himself came, stayed here and tried to campaign against me. That also didn’t work. Then they arranged a press conference of my father. That too had failed to work. After that, they brought a criminal, who was jailed in a CBI case, to launch a baseless attack on me,” Anil said in Pathanamthitta.

Anil also said that the Congress politics for the past 40 to 50 years has been that of deception and betrayal.

He further alleged that it was Congress veteran and former Rajya Sabha deputy chairman PJ Kurien who introduced him to Nandakuma.“I cut off all connections with Nandakumar when he kept asking for favours. P J Kurien is a backstabber. He has betrayed Karunakaran, AK Antony, and Oommen Chandy,” said Anil.