Swapna Suresh had met Kerala CM to pitch for Norka job, reveal explosive WhatsApp chats
WhatsApp conversations show that Pinarayi Vijayan had allegedly been updated by gold smuggling scam accused Swapna Suresh about the 'background' of the circumstances under which she quit her post as secretary to Consul General at the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.
FollowIn an explosive revelation that could once again turn into a political hot potato for Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, WhatsApp conversations have emerged which show that he had allegedly been updated by gold smuggling scam accused Swapna Suresh about the 'background' of the circumstances under which she quit her post as secretary to Consul General at the United Arab Emirates Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.
The WhatsApp chats from July 2019 between Swapna and CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s former principal secretary M Sivasankar. To recall, Sivasankar is currently in the Enforcement Directorate custody regarding the Life Mission scam.
In the WhatsApp conversations, Sivasankar tells Swapna that he had suggested her name for the Department of Non-Resident Keralite's Affairs (NORKA), the body that looks after the welfare of the Kerala diaspora.
'Today, we firmed up the scope of the person. Then I suggested your name. All of them present agreed it is the right choice. I am asked to meet CM tomorrow and suggest this,' Sivasankar told Swapna in the leaked WhatsApp chat transcript.
"CM Raveendran (Chief Minister's Additional Private Secretary) Â was shocked that you are resigning. I told him that you are being transferred to Hyderabad, and Yusuf Ali is said to have a role in this," he further said. The 'Yusuf Ali' mentioned in the chat is believed to be MA Yusuff Ali, who is the Vice Chairman of NORKA and Managing Director of Lulu Group.
Even while Swapna expresses hope that the Chief Minister helps her, Sivasankar goes on to reassure her, stating that "He (CM) is not scared of Yusuf Ali". During the course of the conversation, he also said that the job with NORKA would involve a bit of travel, "to the Middle East mainly" and how he will 'never be posted to NORKA because of Yusuf Ali".
These explosive chats are among those submitted by the Enforcement Directorate as evidence in the Wadakkancherry LIFE Mission corruption case. The transcripts cast a spotlight on the chief minister's office and the man in the top post, Pinarayi Vijayan.
In its remand report, the Enforcement Directorate noted that the Swapna-Sivasankar chats clearly pointed towards a larger nexus. This nexus involves government representatives and the alleged allocation of contracts and generation of proceeds of crime via the upfront commission as a bribe.
