I could meet Sivasankar only after paying commision, reveals Santosh Eapen of UNITAC

Santosh Eapen, the MD of UNITAC, who got into a contract for building the apartments for homeless under Kerala Government Life Mission project has disposed sensational updates before the Enforcement Directorate. Santosh Eapen stated that he got access to meet M Sivasankar, then principal secretary (IT) and private secretary to CM Pinarayi Vijayan only after paying a hefty commission amount.

He further added that UV Jose, the CEO of Life Mission was introduced to him by Sivasankar in his cabin in the Secretariat.

He also gave the statement that to give commission for winning the contract he converted 3 lakh USD in Kochi and 1 lakh USD in Thiruvananthapuram from the grey market. An amount of 3.80 crores was handed to Egyptian national Khalid Ali and 59 lakhs was paid to Sandeep Nair, the prime accused in the gold smuggling case.

Read | Life Mission Probe: CBI Alleges Fraud In Foreign Funding; M Sivasankar To Be Questioned

However, ED has found discrepancies in the statements given to the agency by Swapna Suresh and Santosh Eapen. Earlier, Swapna had stated that on May 2018, she got 1.08 crore as Indian rupees and commission for Egyptian national in US dollars. She had also stated that she was present in the car of the Egyptian national when entire commission money was handed over to him. It was safely kept at his house till September 2018. After that, the money was transferred to the locker facility belonging to Swapna with the help of Sivasankar's chartered accountant.

ED is tracing the conspiracy as the MoU between Life Mission and Red Crescent was signed 10 months later, on July 11 2019. 

Read | CBI Approaches High Court To Quash Stay Order Issued To Probe Life Mission In Kerala

Extravaganza in Life Mission announcement

Kerala government has spent Rs 33 lakhs for the official proclamation of success of Life Mission Programme, a project that is meant to provide a home to state's estimated 5 lakh homeless people.

The extravagant spending by the communist government has been called out by the opposition parties in the state. The government had shockingly set aside a budget of Rs 30 lakhs for the announcement of the completion of 2 lakh homes under the Life Mission Scheme. A grand function was organised on February 29, this year. The expenditure report reveals the proclamation expenses shot up by Rs 33 Lakhs. It is also been reported the extra cost was eventually borne by the Kerala government.

Read | Kerala Gold Smuggling Case: Sivasankar Files Anticipatory Bail Plea In HC After ED Summon

Read | Kerala HC Rejects Plea To Vacate Stay On CBI Probe Against Life Mission CEO