Karuvannur bank scam, ED to file 1st chargesheet next week

KOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is preparing to file its first prosecution complaint (charge sheet) in the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank money laundering case in the following week. It is scheduled to be submitted at the PMLA court in Kochi to prevent the accused individuals — Satheeshkumar P and Kiran P P — from obtaining statutory bail in case the chargesheet isn’t filed within 60 days of their arrest.

Satheeshkumar, a money lender in Thrissur, and Kiran, a businessman, were apprehended by the ED on September 4. Given that the 60-day time limit for concluding the probe concludes in the initial week of November, the ED has opted to submit the chargesheet.

Additionally, the ED plans to incorporate CPM leader P R Aravindakshan and the former accountant of Karuvannur bank in the complaint, despite their arrests occurring on September 26. According to ED sleuths, they have amassed ample evidence against Satheeshkumar and Kiran. They have also gathered statements from approximately 60 witnesses who have testified against the arrested individuals. Sources within the ED affirmed, “Filing the first chargesheet will mark the completion of the initial phase of the probe. In the next phase, we will delve into the involvement of those who supported the accused, as well as those who were both direct and indirect beneficiaries of the scam.”