Special Correspondent Thiruvananthapuram
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has reportedly questioned Congress leader Hibi Eden, MP, as part of its probe into a sex-for-patronage scandal during the tenure of the previous Oommen Chandy government.
By one account, the CBI has interrogated the MP in a Central government facility in Ernakulam.
The investigation has arguably come at an inopportune moment for the Congress, which is locked in a tight electoral fight with the CPI(M) in the byelection for the Thrikkakara Assembly constituency. Besides, Mr. Eden's examination indicates that the CBI would move to question other Congress leaders named as accused in the sensational case, thereby generating adverse publicity for the Opposition in the run-up to the pivotal bypoll.
Respondents
The respondents include Mr. Chandy, Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, former Ministers Adoor Prakash and A.P. Anil Kumar, and A.P. Abdullah Kutty, currently a top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionary.
The Congress fears that the CBI case could perhaps accord a propaganda advantage to the CPI(M) at the hustings. The investigation could prove a distraction from the electoral priorities of the Opposition, including the anti-SilverLine (K-Rail) campaign.
The complainant is a woman speculator accused of spearheading a solar energy investment racket that caused sizeable financial loss to scores of persons who sunk money into the "dubious" venture, believing that it had government backing.
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