Gold scam: Kerala CM's aide hospitalised for COVID-19 treatment ahead of ED questioning

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's additional private secretary, C.M. Raveendran, who was summoned by Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning, tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. 

Raveendran was admitted to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital after reportedly developing health complication due to coronavirus, a day before the summon in connection with the Kerala gold smuggling case. 

The ED had served a notice to Raveendran directing him to appear at its Kochi office on Friday with regards to statements made by suspended IAS officer M Sivasankar who is already arrested in the case.

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"Raveendran is admitted in Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital after reportedly developing health complications after contracting COVID-19. We are yet to discharge him. He is unlikely to appear before ED officials on Friday," the hospital authorities said. 

Raveendran's name appeared at many places in the written statements given by Sivasankar in reply to ED's questions. The agency has received more than one statement as evidence which indicates that Sivasankar would not take any decision without the knowledge of Raveendran. 

READ | Gold Scam: ED Summons Kerala CM's Add'l Private Secy Raveendran; Vijayan 'not Worried'

'Ploy to escape investigation'

Meanwhile, Kerala Congress Chief Mullappally Ramachandran questioned the secretary's hospital stay during the summon. He alleged that Raveendran was trying to escape the investigation, as it could 'expose' CM Vijayan's involvement in the case.  

"This is a ploy to escape the investigation. If Raveendran is questioned, big secrets will come out and the Chief Minister and his family will have to go to jail. That is why he has been hospitalized," he alleged

The ED officials had issued notice to CM Raveendran after the key accused Swapna Suresh admitted that the former had called her on various occasions.

CM Pinarayi Vijayan, however, exuded confidence in his 'trusted' private secretary and said that he was not worried about the summons. Asserting that Raveendran is known to him and to the party, he said, summoning by a probe agency does not make him a culprit. 

READ | Kerala Gold Smuggling: Customs Officials Record Arrest Of CM's Ex-aide M Sivasankar

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(With inputs from agency)