THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Teeka Ram Meena has sought authorized opinion on the state authorities’s determination to represent a judicial fee to research the central companies’ motion for allegedly “sabotaging the probe” into the gold smuggling and different circumstances.
The federal government in its particular cupboard assembly final week had determined to provoke a judicial probe towards the central companies, together with the Enforcement Directorate. Retired choose Okay C Mohan has been assigned to go the fee. Nonetheless, the choice required affirmation from the Election Fee because the code of conduct is in place within the wake of the approaching meeting polls. The file pertaining to the choice was handed over to the State Electoral Officer final week by a three-member committee headed by the chief secretary.
“The CEO will take a name on the choice based mostly on the authorized opinion. In case there’s some ambiguity even after the authorized opinion is taken, the matter shall be left to the Central Election Fee. This might take a while,” a supply mentioned.
The federal government determined to take the unprecedented step following the registration of a prison case towards the Enforcement Directorate officers by the Crime Department for allegedly forcing gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh to offer statements towards the chief minister. The federal government’s stance was that the central companies probing the smuggling and greenback circumstances had conspired towards the state authorities and therefore a judicial probe was required to unearth the plot.
The Crime Department had registered one other case towards the ED officers on the premise of a grievance that the officers of the central company had arm-twisted Sandeep Nair, one other accused within the gold smuggling case, to offer statements towards the CM and different ministers.
