FCRA 'violation': Kerala Minister Jaleel appears before ED

Kerala Higher Education Minister K T Jaleel appeared before the Enforcement Directorate here on Friday in connection with alleged FCRA violation in accepting consignments of Holy Quran brought from UAE through diplomatic channel.

Kerala Higher Education Minister K T Jaleel appeared before the Enforcement Directorate here on Friday in connection with alleged FCRA violation in accepting consignments of the Holy Quran brought from UAE through diplomatic channel. Jaleel appeared before the ED here and his statement was recorded, sources privy to the development told PTI.

The minister had earlier admitted that a consignment containing Holy Quran had been received from the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram which a top Customs official had referred to as "prima facie violation of FCRA" (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act). The minister later posted on Facebook: "Truth will prevail. Only the truth. Even if the whole world opposes it, nothing else will happen." He did not elaborate.

As the news of Jaleel's appearance before the ED was flashed by television channels late evening, the opposition Congress and the BJP lashed out at the state government seeking the minister resignation. BJP workers also took out a march in front of the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday night demanding that Jaleel quit the cabinet.

Officials had said Jaleel is under the scanner of the central agencies after he publicly claimed that the consignments brought to Thiruvananthapuram during Ramzan month contained Holy Quran for distribution in his constituency.