CPI(M) Kerala secretary rubbishes Swapna's fresh allegations

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI(M) state secretary in Kerala MV Govindan on Friday criticized and rejected the allegations levelled against him by Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in the gold-smuggling and Life Mission cases, PTI reported.

On Thursday, Swapna claimed that a middleman approached her to negotiate on withdrawing allegations against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayam and his family, as well as offering hefty hush money.

Govindan said that he was not taking the charges at face value, though legal measures would be initiated against Swapna, which she made through Facebook Live on Thursday evening.

Further, he said that he didn't know anyone by the name of Vijesh Pillai, who, according to Swapna, was the middleman who met her to negotiate. The middleman demanded Swapna hand over all the evidence she possessed against the CM and family, as Swapna had claimed.

However, Govindan added a curious claim that no one in Kannur, his home district, uses the surname "Pillai".

"When you prepare a script, the story should be a well-knit one. What is the point in making a script that crumbles in the first minute itself? I will confront her legally in all possible ways. No one is afraid of these people," he told reporters here.

According to him, the government nor the CM nor the CM's family need any certificate from such persons.

The smuggling accused Swapna appeared in a Facebook Live on Thursday and made explosive charges against the CPI(M) in Kerala, the CM, his family as well as the party secretary Govindan.

She claimed that she was told by Pillai that Govindan would finish her life if she was not ready to withdraw her allegations and leave Bengaluru. The opposition Congress and BJP had criticized the CPI(M) over the charges and sought Govindan's reaction over the matter.