Ex-Principal Secy of Kerala CM held

New Delhi, February 15

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested M Sivasankar, former Principal Secretary to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, under provisions of the PMLA as part of its probe into alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulations) Act (FCRA) in the state’s Life Mission project, officials said today.

The officials said Sivasankar was being questioned by the ED investigators for the past three days, but as he was evasive in answering the posers related to the case, he was taken into custody late last night.

Sivasankar, who superannuated from service on January 31, was earlier arrested in a case related to gold smuggling involving diplomatic baggage to the UAE consulate.

The Life Mission project aims at providing houses for the poor at Wadakkanchery in Thrissur district of Kerala, the officials said. The ED’s case under the PMLA is based on an FIR registered by the CBI in the matter. The CBI had in 2020 registered the FIR under Section 120B of the IPC and Section 35 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.