Trouble likely to mount on Kerala CM Vijayan in gold smuggling case

Even before the furore over Kerala gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh's allegation against him could end, fresh trouble seems to brewing up for Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

Even before the furore over Kerala gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh's allegation against him could end, fresh trouble seems to brewing up for Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi after another "controversial" woman Anita Pullayil was spotted at the LKS meeting here.

Anita was in the news a few years ago when she was seen with Vijayan, the then State Industries Minister E.P.Jayarajan and the then State Police chief Loknath Behra in important events.

For the past couple of days, Anita, who is settled in Italy has been the cynosure of all eyes when she was spotted at the Loka Kerala Sabha (LKS) a meeting of the Kerala diaspora, here.

LKS is a global meet of Keralite diaspora settled outside Kerala and was first introduced by the Vijayan government in 2018. While the second edition was held in January 2020, third concluded here on Sunday.

She made news ever since 54-year-old Kochi resident Monson Mavunkal was arrested by the Crime Branch police from his home-cum-museum, last year after victims approached Vijayan with their complaints that they were swindled of Rs 10 crore by this 'master fraud', who managed to even take the top most Kerala Police officials for a ride.

Anitha, whose pictures with Mavunkal surfaced, was also seen in the company of Vijayan and former DGP Loknath Behra, among others.

Hailing from Thrissur, Anitha is based out of Italy and took the LKS route to get acquainted with not just Behra, but also to Mavunkal and numerous other bigwigs.

After Mavunkal was arrested last year, the Crime Branch police took her statement too and hence she was treated as a persona- non-grata , but when TV channels spotted her last week, it became big news.

Soon after vice-chairman of the organiser of the LKS P.Sreeramakrishnan- a former speaker of the Assembly and a top CPI-M leader -- said that she was not an invitee and perhaps she would have come to take part in the open forum.

But the Congress opposition which had boycotted the LKS in wake of attacks of its party headquarters and other party offices allegedly by the CPI-M workers, expressed surprise as to how such a person could walk into the high security Kerala Assembly where the LKS was underway where even MPs could enter only with a pass.

Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker M.B.Rajesh, the main host of the two-day event, has odered a probe ino the incident.

The organisers, however, is yet to release the full list of invitees.

Vijayan, who is underfire after Swapna accused him and his family of being involved in smuggling gold and currency, is presently moving in a high security cordon.

He participated in the LKS only once in the online mode citing ill health.

Meanwhile, the opposition is now waiting for the Speaker's report on how Anita could dodge the security personnel and enter the venue where a fresh Assembly session is scheduled to begin on June 27.

All eyes are on Swapna who is slated to appear before the Enforcement Directorate officials on Wednesday.