Kerala to set up special unit to probe economic crimes; 233 new officers to be appointed

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's government in Kerala decided to set up a separate financial crimes unit in the Kerala Police Department to probe the increasing number of economic offences in the state. This financial crime unit will probe economic offences such as money laundering and forgery. The new unit will be set up under the Crime Branch.

According to a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), the decision to create the unit was made during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. According to the announcement, the unit would be given 233 new positions, including one Inspector General, four Superintendents of Police, 11 Deputy SPs, 19 inspectors, 29 sub-inspectors, 73 senior civil police officers and civil police officers each, and 16 drivers. 

Benefits and Concession for the K-Fon project

Moreover, the Cabinet decided to provide various benefits and concessions for the K-FON project that aims to provide a high-speed Internet connection for government offices and families across the state. Also, there will be exemptions, which will include the Right of Way (RoW) permits and charges, as well as the waiver of a security deposit and bank guarantees, according to the statement.

Further, the statement added that for laying cables, the project will not require approval from government departments, offices, municipal authorities, or public sector firms, nor will it be required to pay RoW fees.

Proposal for 'special wing' to probe financial crimes in Kerala

In recent years, the state has seen a number of bank loan frauds, the most significant of which occurred in Karuvannur, Thrissur, when a scam of more than Rs 100 crore was uncovered. In addition to lending scams, a series of chit fund frauds has also struck the state.

Popular Finance, situated in Pathanamthitta, allegedly robbed depositors of more than Rs 2,000 crore, while Crystal Group, based in Moolamattom, allegedly cheated investors of more than Rs 5 crore.

Former State Police Chief Loknath Behera submitted a proposal for a special wing for economic offences in the state to Pinarayi Vijayan's government last year. Notably, the state police department had an economic offence wing under the crime branch, which was dumped in 2018 as a part of the restructuring of the Kerala Police Department.

Arrest of PFI member in money laundering case in Kerala

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested a PFI member from Kerala's Kozhikode airport while he was attempting to flee the country as the agency probes him in a money laundering case linked to alleged raising of foreign funds for "anti-national" activities, official sources said on Saturday, March 12.

The immigration authorities at the airport had intercepted Abdul Razzak BP, a divisional president of the Popular Front of India's Perumpadappu unit in Malappuram, on March 9, acting on an Enforcement Directorate lookout circular (LOC) issued against him.