Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has on Sunday come out against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the Karuvannur Cooperative bank scam alleging that the Central agency protected the key accused in the scam by turning him into an approver in the case.

Inaugurating the 9th Kerala Cooperative Congress conference here on Sunday, Pinarayi Vijayan said the ED has turned the prime accused into an “approver” to obtain material from him for political gains.

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“What was the purpose behind protecting a person who engaged in destroying the institution?  Culprits should face trial. But the probe agency tried to protect the culprit. Such acts should be avoided,” he said.

The chief minister’s comments came in the wake of the ED telling the Kerala High Court last week that the irregularities in the multi-crore scam hit Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank were committed at the behest of the party leaders of the ruling CPI-M in the state.

The ED, which is investigating the fraud, told the court that during its investigation “it was found that many of the accused are office-bearers and members of the ruling political party CPI-M and there was a deep-rooted conspiracy to embezzle money from the public and make gains for the party as well as its leaders.”

The ED said the CPI-M’s parliamentary committee and sub-committee, formed to extra-constitutionally run Karuvannur cooperative society, often directed the board of directors to sanction illegal loans to ineligible people and then pocketed the commission….

Meanwhile, an investor in the  Karuvannur  cooperative Bank has  approached the state Chief Minister and the High Court Chief Justice  with a request to allow euthanasia as he was unable to afford treatment and living expenses.

Joshi (53), a native of Mapranam in Thrissur district, approached Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Kerala High Court Chief Justice, seeking permission for mercy killing, as his savings amounting to Rs.70 Lakh  deposited in the Karuvannur cooperative bank could not be withdrawn  for his treatment and living expenses.

Joshi, in his petition   said that he and his family members had deposited  around Rs 90 lakh in the Karuvannur cooperative bank.  Of this,only a small amount was received  on several times, more than Rs 70 lakh remains to be received back from the cooperative bank. He said as he is a cancer patient, who had undergone 21 surgeries, he could not do any work to raise money for his treatment and basic needs.