Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday, June 27, said that there was no need for him to respond to allegations against him each and every time regarding the gold smuggling case as his life was an open book before the public. Pinarayi's remark came in response to queries from reporters in Thiruvananthapuram regarding the allegations made against him and his family by Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the gold smuggling through diplomatic bags case.
The CM said that similar charges were levelled before the 2021 Assembly elections and there was widespread speculation regarding his involvement. “However, the probe by investigation agencies, which left no stone unturned, found nothing incriminating against me. Despite all those allegations against me, the public did not believe the same and the government was elected to power again,” he said.
Back then also, he had clarified how he knew Swapna and therefore, he did not see the need to keep responding to allegations regarding that every time, the CM further said. Regarding the allegations against his family members in connection with the gold smuggling case, Pinarayi said that he knows there were people actively encouraging such accusations, but was confident that it would not malign his public life as the people know the intention behind the same.
On why he did not opt for litigation if he believed the statement by Swapna Suresh to a magistrate was not accurate, the CM said, "Let me worry about that." The queries were posed to him during a press conference held by him in the wake of the Assembly session being disrupted by the opposition and the House proceedings adjourned for the day.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly VD Satheesan alleged that the LDF (Left Democratic Front) government had different rules for the different accused in the case. He claimed that one accused — M Sivasankar, was reinstated in service and permitted to write a book making revelations about the case, while a case of conspiracy was lodged against Swapna for making revelations in her statement in front of a judge.
Satheesan alleged that the CM was worried he might be implicated in the case and that is why PS Sarith, another accused in the case, was suddenly picked by Vigilance officials and his phone was seized after the revelations by Suresh.