The Opposition in the Kerala Assembly on Tuesday took on the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) after a court in Dubai imposed a travel ban on Binoy Kodiyeri, the son of party General-Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan (pictured above), PTI reported. The owner of a Dubai-based company called JAAS Tourism, Hasan Ismaeel Abdulla Almarzooqi, has accused Binoy Kodiyeri of cheating it of Rs 13 crore, and subsequently the court issued the travel ban on February 1.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front staged a walkout after the Speaker refused to allow a discussion on the matter even as the Left Democratic Front government maintained that the Dubai court’s order had nothing to do with it.
“I am not going to withdraw from moving this motion as the diaspora meet held in the Assembly – Loka Kerala Sabha – has taken a severe beating after the registration of a case against Binoy Balakrishnan in Dubai, and he cannot leave Dubai,” IANS quoted Congress MLA Anil Akkara as saying. “Another son of his – Bineesh is also facing cases in Dubai. There are cases against the sons of Left legislator Vijayan Pillai and also CPI(M) legislator EP Jayarajan. All this highlights the fall of the CPI(M), and all these cases are now being covered extensively in the media.”
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that the Opposition was deliberately trying to raise unwanted matters and tarnish the party’s image. “These issues have nothing to do with either the state government or the Assembly,” he said. “These are just business issues. And what is even more surprising is this has been raised by a person who has a vigilance case against him.”
The accusations against the sons of Congress leader and former Union Minister Vayalar Ravi, P Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram, and BJP President Amit Shah’s son Jay Shah were never taken up in parliamentary fora, the chief minister added.
Kerala High Court stays gag order
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday stayed a gag order that a lower court had issued, restraining the media from reporting on the alleged involvement of Left leader an Pillai’s son Sreejith in the Dubai case, PTI reported. The editor-in-chief of Malayala Manorama newspaper, Mammen Mathew, had filed a petition against the gag order.
Sreejith had alleged that his name was being misused in connection with the case. Justice B Kemal Pasha, however, held that “the order issued by sub-court seems to be illegal and against constitutional mandate”.
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