Kerala: Cong MLA calls vigilance raids 'politically motivated' to tarnish his image

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) conducted raids at senior Congress leader and former Kerala health minister VS Sivakumar's house. The raid which was carried out on Thursday morning lasted till Friday early morning. Sivakumar has called it 'a game plan of corrupt Left government in Kerala' to tarnish his image and settle political scores.

The former health minister has claimed that VACB failed to unearth anything in the raid and it was infact a blessing that the authorities have realised of his financial liabilities too. He further claimed that this is the third failed attempt.

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Sivakumar has alleged that the government wants to settle political scores after Congress targeted the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government on irregularities and corruption of serious nature in the functioning of state police. Sivakumar opined that the VACB had conducted a detailed probe and had already given a clean chit, however, the new case is based on an anonymous complaint.

'Politically motivated'

"This is a politically motivated case. When we have raised the issue of corruption as pointed out in the CAG report, they have brought this up. This case is to divert the attention from the corruption of the government. I will cooperate during the probe and take necessary action after discussing with the party leadership," Shivakumar said.

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Kerala Congress chief Mullapally Ramachandran welcoming the probe had said that the government should act proactively when Congress comes up with incriminating evidence of corruption against the government.

Targeting the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government, Congress had carried an onslaught after the CAG report revealed state police' irregularities. Leader of opposition had written to CM Vijayan demanding the removal of DGP Loknath Behera and also called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the issues highlighted by CAG report.

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