Congress' Anil Akkara accuses Kerala CM Vijayan of FCRA violation in LIFE Mission project

In a controversial statement, Anil Akkara, a former Congress legislator, claimed that Pinarayi Vijayan, the Chief Minister of Kerala, violated the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) while working on the Red Crescent-developed Wadakkanchery LIFE Mission project.

Anil Akkara claimed in an interview on Friday that the decision for the Red Crescent to build a housing complex in Wadakamcherry and give it to the government was made in a meeting presided over by the Chief Minister. Additionally, the Congress MLA claimed that approval from the Foreign Affairs department is necessary in order to receive foreign cash for such activities.

The Congress MLA further claimed that the CM and LSGD ministers' decisions resulted in the conversion of nearly Rs 4.5 crore to dollars and their exportation abroad. Akkara urged that former Local Self-Government Body (LSGD) Minister AC Moideen and CM Pinarayi Vijayan be brought to justice by the federal government and sought an investigation.

He said, "As the CBI is enquiring about the case, the Chief Minister does not have the right to continue as CM, and he should resign."

What is the Life Mission scam?

Life Mission is a government project that offered free accommodation to those left homeless during the 2018 floods in Kerala. The irregularities of the case came to light during the investigation of gold smuggling by the Enforcement Directorate. Around 2 kg of gold and Rs 2 crore in cash were purportedly seized by the ED from Swapna Suresh in October 2020.

The primary suspect in the gold smuggling case, Swapna Suresh, had previously disclosed to the ED that the funds came from commissions Sivasankar received for signing a contract with the Red Crescent, a global humanitarian organisation, to house flood victims in the Thrissur district's Wadakkanchery. Swapna reportedly received a request from Sivasankar to keep the money in her locker.

According to sources, the Kerala government brokered its alleged agreement with the Red Crescent without informing the federal government and in violation of FCRA regulations. The Kerala government under Vijayan moved the court to argue that the deal did not violate the FCRA, notwithstanding the CBI's objections and their filing of a case. However, the matter was not dismissed by the court.