We are transparent, CPI-M has no secret bank accounts: Pinarayi Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram: Even though a few top leaders of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) are under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan claimed on Thursday that the party always ensures that there is transparency in all its activities.

“We do not have any secret bank accounts, as we do not accept black money. Our funds come through party levies and membership fees from the party members. Every rupee we collect comes from the people. We also inform the people about the utilisation of the funds. We do everything transparently,” the Chief Minister said.

CM Vijayan was reacting to reports quoting the ED's claims that during its ongoing probe into the alleged scam involving the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank, which is controlled by the Trissur CPI-M district committee and its leaders, the agency found a few secret accounts of the CPI-M.

“Today the ED, CBI, and the Income Tax Department are after the non-BJP parties, but the leaders of the Congress take a different position when the ED in Kerala comes after our leaders,” Vijayan said.

The Chief Minister also dodged a query about the ongoing ED probe against his daughter Veena Vijayan’s IT firm.

In a related development, two-time former CPI-M Lok Sabha member P.K. Biju on Thursday appeared before the ED at its Kochi office as part of the ongoing probe into the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank case.

Meanwhile, the Trissur district CPI-M Secretary, M.M. Varghese, who was asked to appear before the ED on Wednesday, informed the agency that he is preoccupied with election campaign, as he sought time till the polls get over for joining the probe. However, the ED asked him to report on Friday.