Kerala CM’s office, residence, and Kochi airport receive bomb threat

A bomb threat was received at the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s office and official residence on Monday, along with Kochi International Airport, as per reports.

Authorities deployed bomb squads to search all the premises.

The bomb threat at the CM’s office and residence in Thiruvananthapuram was received via email, prompting immediate action by the Kerala Police. However, no explosives have been found at either location till now.

Troubles pile up

Meanwhile, the CBI on Monday launched an investigation, as directed by the Kerala High Court, into allegations of illegal amassment of wealth by K M Abraham – Chief Principal Secretary to CM Vijayan, former Chief Secretary, and CEO of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). 

Meanwhile, the CM remarked that since Abraham would be pursuing legal remedies, no immediate action would be taken against him.

CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan echoed this, calling the investigation a political ploy.

“So what if the CBI is probing? Let them do their job. Everyone knows that the Centre is increasingly using its agencies against opponents. A probe does not imply guilt. We will wait for the report,” Govindan said.

A Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) charge sheet was also filed earlier this month at an economic offences court in Kerala. It named Veena Vijayan, daughter of CM Vijayan, as an accused. 

The charge sheet pertained to the illegal deal between Veena Vijayan’s now defunct IT firm Exalogic and Kochi-based Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) after finding that her IT firm had allegedly received a monthly gratification of around ₹2.70 crore from the CMRL for mining sanctions.

Veena Vijayan and those who have been arraigned as accused in the charge sheet are planning to go to a higher court to effect a stay on the SFIO proceedings, but for that, they need to get the summons, and this is becoming a concern.

Both Vijayan and the CPI-M have made it clear that they will fight the case legally and politically.

Vijayan was annoyed with the media for raising this issue and blamed the media for going after his blood by demanding his resignation.

(with inputs from syndicated feed)