CPI-M in Kerala has landed in fresh trouble as a Chennai-based, Mahe native businessman Muhammad Sharshad alleged that party’s state secretary MV Govindan’s son, Shyam leaked a confidential complaint he sent to party general secretary MA Baby, disclosing illegal financial deals of some party leaders.
The content of the complaint is that prominent CPI-M leaders in the state have illegal financial deals with a London-based businessman, Rajesh Krishna.
In his complaint to the CPI-M general secretary, Sharshad alleged that Rajesh Krishna had transferred unaccounted money to the bank accounts of some CPI-M leaders. The complaint contains serious allegations that Rajesh Krishna, in collaboration with foreign paper companies, embezzled money from government schemes, and transferred the money from abroad through a company registered in Chennai to the personal accounts of some CPI-M leaders. He was the one who helped leaders including MV Govindan and P Sreeramakrishnan during their travel to London.
Along with the complaint, Sharshad attached supporting documents. These very documents later reached the Delhi High Court when Rajesh Krishna submitted them in connection with a defamation case.
Speaking to a Malayalam news channel, Sharshad alleged that MV Govindan’s son Shyam was behind the leak, passing on his complaint to Rajesh Krishna. He added that Rajesh may have forced Shyam to leak the letter. Sharshad alleged that the party leadership ignored his complaint and Govindan blocked his phone number after he informed him about his son’s links with Rajesh.
Sharshad told the news channel that he did not file the complaint with the intention of defaming the party. “I inquired about Rajesh Krishna at a time when there were problems in my family and others. Rajesh was a person who shared a bed space in the UK until 2016. He became a part of the Loka Kerala Sabha when the LDF came to power. It is now being discussed whether he was qualified for that. He joined the Loka Kerala Sabha at that time through P Sreeramakrishnan.
Rajesh Krishna formed a paper company called Kingdom through a British citizen for the Kollam sea and lake cleaning project and brought money through it. Only one-third of the amount was spent on the project. The rest was diverted. Rajesh Krishna made various transactions using the Kingdom company’s bank account, .” Sharshad told the news channel.
“I had complained to Kodiyeri Balakrishnan about Rajesh Krishna in 2021. Based on that letter, Rajesh Krishna was sidelined. But when MV Govindan became the state secretary, Rajesh Krishna came back with more strength than ever. When MV Govindan went to London, he visited Rajesh Krishna’s house. He took part in a book launch event there. Seeing that, he called Govindan and spoke to him. Despite hearing all his stories, there was no support from him. He later returned to his busy schedule. In the meantime, some people from there who were in trouble because of him called him and told him about Rajesh Krishna coming as a party conference representative. As part of that, I intervened.,” he further told the news channel.
Though Rajesh was invited to attend the CPI-M party congress held in Madurai, he was asked to stay away from the event after Sharshad raised his complaint.
Sharshad said that both the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax Department are investigating his complaint over the alleged illegal financial transactions from Rajesh Krishna’s bank account.
Opposition leader VD Satheesan said that the details in the complaint are shocking and that the face of the CPI-M that no one has seen before, has now been revealed. He demanded a clarification from the party and government on the veracity of the accusation, pointed out in the complaint.