No politics in 'Operation Toofan ' applies equally to all: Keralam Home Minister

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday remarked the state government's anti-narcotics drive, Operation Toofan, "has no politics" and asserted that it will not discriminate between the activists of Youth Congress, Youth League or the DYFI.

Key points

• The ED's funds laundering probe case is against Kerala-based mining business Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Veena's now defunct firm Exalogic Solutions.
• Since the operation was inaugurated by the CM, 76 days have passed and during this period we have brought regarding a sizeable change in Keralam, the minister continued.
• YC and DYFI are the youth wings of the Congress and CPI(M), respectively.
• It is alleged by the ED that CMRL created fraudulent payments worth Rs 2.
• No kind of intervention or recommendation from anyone will be accepted in such cases.

Chennithala, speaking to reporters in Delhi, remarked that even if a person close to him was involved with drugs, "they will be given the same treatment as others by the police".

"No kind of intervention or recommendation from anyone will be accepted in such cases. Therefore, Operation Toofan is functioning unbiasedly, " he asserted.

He was responding to queries that police have arrested activists of Youth Congress (YC) as well as the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) in connection with drug cases.

It need not be seen politically. It is beyond that. We are trying to save a generation of youngsters.

Kerala govt's 'Toofan' hits peddlers, but bail and black funds keep drug trade alive Chennithala stated that the change was feasible due to the public backing and not just the competence of his department or the police.

Concerning the fresh claims by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the CMRL-Exalogic case in which former CM Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter Veena T has been questioned, the minister remarked, Let law takes its course.

It is alleged by the ED that CMRL created fraudulent payments worth Rs 2. 78 crore to Exalogic Solutions under the guise of 'IT consultancy services'.

Notably, the agency, in an official note issued a day ago, had remarked that it had seized some "handwritten" notes during searches against Veena in May and these contained details of certain fund transfers to Dubai.

For now, no politics in ' Operation Toofan ' applies equally to all: Keralam Home remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.