Kerala jewellery scam: MLA Kamaruddin’s arrest politically motivated, says IUML

The MLA was arrested in a multi crore financial fraud case.
Kamaruddin
Kamaruddin
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The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Sunday condemned the arrest of its Kerala MLA M C Kamaruddin in a multi-crore financial fraud case, alleging it was politically motivated and an attempt to divert public attention from 'controversies' faced by the LDF government.

A partner in the Congress-led UDF, it also ruled out seeking the resignation of the Manjeshwaram MLA, arrested on Saturday over alleged cheating of investors in his gold jewellery business, and said suffering loss in business was not unusual.

The Congress also rallied behind Kamaruddin, echoing the stand of its ally.

"The move by the police is extraordinary and unprecedented. The arrest is aimed at diverting attention of people from controversies looming large over Marxist leaders and LDF Government,"IUML national general secretary and Lok Sabha MP, P K Kunhalikutty told the reporters here.

He was apparently referring to the arrest of state CPI-M secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's son Bineesh Kodiyeri in Bengaluru in a money laundering case linked to a drug racket and the gold smuggling case in Kerala, over which the opposition has been attacking the ruling combine.

Speaking after a meeting of the IUML's high powered committee here, Kunhalikutty alleged the action against the MLA was politically motivated and that the party will stand with him.

Kamaruddin was arrested on Saturday evening after day-long questioning by a Special Investigation Team, in a blow to the opposition front ahead of the local body polls next month.

He is the chairman of Kasaragod-based Fashion Gold Group against which there are as many as 117 cases registered in four police stations for allegedly cheating investors of the jewellery firm.

The IUML maintained that "It was not unusual that businesses suffer losses" and the party had no idea about Kamaruddin's business deals when he contested the by-election in October last year.

"Undue importance was given in Kamaruddin's case and police were acting in haste," Kunhalikutty said.

IUML leaders also said they were neither planning to seek the resignation of the MLA nor would take any action against him.

Meanwhile, the police said they have decided to issue a lookout notice against another district leader of IUML, T K Pookoya Thangal, also the Managing Director of Fashion Gold.

Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly and senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala came out in support of Kamaruddin and said the MLA had not committed any "corruption".

He claimed it was just a case of "failed business".

The legislator was arrested under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code, provisions of Kerala Protection of Interests of Depositors in Financial Establishments Act and section 3 and 5 of the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act.

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