'Not a venue for political fight': Kerala HC speaks tough as AAP leader moves PIL in 2021 'black money' case

Kochi, May 7 (IANS) The Kerala High Court on Tuesday made it clear that it will not permit courts to be used as  venues for political fights. 

Considering a public interest litigation (PIL) petition, moved by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state President Vinod Mathew Wilson, in the 2021 Kodakara black money heist, which allegedly involves Kerala BJP President K. Surendran, the court orally said: "Our concern is only this. The court shall not be made a venue for a political slugfest. We will not permit it. You may have various reasons but we will not allow that."

It also said that the investigating agencies involved in the probe seem to be doing their job.

"State police has filed the charge sheet, the Income Tax Department is investigating the source of the funds, and the Enforcement Directorate is acting under the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act). What more should be done?" the court asked.

This case pertains to the 2021 Assembly polls when in April of that year, a car travelling in Thrissur was looted and the driver filed a complaint that Rs 25 lakh, which was supposed to be payable to Dharmajan, was taken away. Later, the amount involved was later found to be more than Rs 3 crore.

According to Wilson, during the course of the investigation into the heist, it was found that unaccounted money was brought from Karnataka to Kerala for use in the election campaign of BJP.

He also argued that the Enforcement Directorate had delayed its probe into the money laundering activities unearthed in the investigation by the police.

Wilson said despite his repeated representations to various national agencies on this topic, no action was taken and hence, he approached the High Court with the present PIL seeking directions to the authorities concerned to consider and take action on the representations he has sent them.

On Tuesday, the ED informed the court that their probe had almost been completed and questioned the maintainability of the PIL. It was also argued that this petition is politically motivated at a time when the Lok Sabha polls are underway.

The court has not admitted Wilson’s petition, while the ED said they are ready to file their statement. Following this, the case was posted for May 10.