Role of political leaders in Kerala CSR funds scam to be probed, says CM Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday informed the state Assembly that only a detailed probe will reveal if there was any involvement of political leaders in the now infamous Kerala CSR funds scam.

The scam, executed by a team, involved deceiving victims by offering high-value consumer products — such as scooters, laptops, and sewing machines — at half the market price under the guise of a CSR initiative.

CM Vijayan said that so far the extent of the scam is Rs 231 crore, in which 1,343 cases have been registered. Of these, 669 are being probed by the Crime Branch.

“Presently, 48,384 people have fallen victim to this scam. Initially, people received items at half the price, but after that, nothing happened. Today, the probe is on,” said CM Vijayan.

“With regards to the involvement of politicians in this scam, that can be known when the probe goes forward,” said the Chief Minister.

So far, two arrests have been made, which include 28-year-old Ananthu Krishnan, the alleged mastermind behind the massive scam and K.N. Anand Kumar, Chairman of the NGO Confederation and a well-known social activist in Kerala.

“The bank accounts of both these people have been frozen, and the probe is going in the right direction,” added CM Vijayan.

Even though CM Vijayan has pointed out that the scam is of Rs 231 crore, unofficial estimates reveal it’s worth more than Rs 1,000 crore.

While Krishnan is under judicial custody, Kumar, who was arrested last week, is presently admitted to a private hospital undergoing cardiac treatment.

Kumar is alleged to have received Rs 10 lakh per month over several months from Krishnan.

This aggressive promotional campaign attracted thousands of unsuspecting investors, who were led to believe they were making a lucrative purchase through corporate sponsorship.

As the fraudulent scheme unraveled, several victims came forward, alleging that they had invested their savings in what appeared to be an enticing opportunity.

The Crime Branch’s investigation has revealed the staggering extent of the scam, leading to the registration of more than 1,000 cases of financial fraud across all 14 districts of the state.

Last month, as part of a parallel probe, the Kochi unit of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at 12 locations across Kerala to trace the money trail and possible instances of money laundering linked to the scam.

IANS