"Political gimmick": Congress' KC Venugopal questions call for CBI investigation against Kerala LoP in Punarjani case

Wayanad (Kerala) [India], January 4 (ANI): Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal on Sunday said that the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau recommendation for a CBI investigation into Kerala Assembly LoP V D Satheesan, over the Punarjani case, is a "political gimmick" of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) ahead of the Kerala Assembly election.
Speaking with ANI, Congress MP KC Venugopal said that nothing can save the CPM from a defeat in the election.
"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," he said.
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe against Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan over allegations of receiving illegal foreign funds for the 'Punarjani' housing project.
Kerala Congress President Sunny Joseph termed it as a "futile" attempt of the state government, which has found nothing against VD Satheesan.
"That's only a futile attempt by the government. Already, the state vigilance is conducting an investigation, and they have found nothing against the opposition leader. Further enquiries are not at all needed. It's a political game only. We will face it both politically and legally," Sunny Joseph said.
The 'Punarjani' housing project was launched to rehabilitate people who lost their homes in the 2018 floods in Satheesan's North Paravur constituency.
The CBI probe has been sought, citing alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). Satheesan's foreign trips, allegedly undertaken without the Assembly Speaker's permission, are also under scrutiny in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Ramesh Chennithala said that the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's allegations about Congress senior leader Sonia Gandhi's involvement in the Sabarimala gold theft case is "absurd" and reiterated Communist Party of India (Marxist) involvement in the case.
Congress MLA Ramesh Chennithala also raised a question over the lack of action against its own leaders.
Speaking with ANI, Ramesh Chennithala said, "The Kerala Chief Minister's statement on the gold theft case in Sabarimala is absurd. The three leaders of CPM are in jail. How can he say that this is a politically motivated thing?... The CPM party has not taken any action for the people who are in prison."
Chennithala further demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the theft case."This shows that they are involved in this case and the political patronage given by the CPM and the state government is very evident...We demand that the CBI enquire into the whole issue so that more people can be arrested and brought before the law," he said.
This comes after CPM leaders, including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, raised questions over Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's meeting with prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti and demanded an investigation into the matter. (ANI)