NIA questions Ker Minister Jaleel for over 8 hours; No need

Rallying behind Jaleel, Vijayan said there was no need for the former to resign and that he appeared before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as it wanted to get "some information" from him. The Higher Education Minister appeared before the NIA a week after he was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) in accepting consignments of Holy Quran brought from UAE through diplomatic channels.

Kerala Minister K T Jaleel was questioned for over eight hours on Thursday by the NIA probing the terror angle in the gold smuggling case, prompting the opposition to intensify protests demanding his resignation, but Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan rejected it. Rallying behind Jaleel, Vijayan said there was no need for the former to resign and that he appeared before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as it wanted to get "some information" from him.

The Higher Education Minister appeared before the NIA a week after he was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) in accepting consignments of Holy Quran brought from UAE through diplomatic channels. He arrived at the Kochi office of the NIA, which is also probing the gold smuggling through diplomatic baggage addressed to the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, at 6 AM in a private car and left around 5 PM.

According to media reports, the questioning of Jaleel by the NIA began at 9 AM. However, there was no official information. Sources in Central agencies had earlier said they have to investigate whether there were any other illegal items shipped along with the Quran.

Earlier, the call records of Swapna Suresh, a prime accused in the gold smuggling case and a former employee of the UAE consulate at the state capital, had revealed that Jaleelwas in touch with her. The Minister, however, had claimed his calls to her were strictly professional as they were made after the consulate General assigned Suresh, who was working then in the UAE consulate, to coordinate the distribution of Ramzan food kits.

The Chief Minister's Office sources on Thursday said the statement of Jaleel, holding the Minority Affairs portfolio also, was recorded by the NIA as a witness. There was heavy police security around the NIA office as the news broke about the minister presenting himself before the probe agency.

Activists of opposition Congress and BJP continued their protests for the sixth consecutive day at several places, including near the NIA office, demanding the resignation of the Minister and also the LDF government headed by Vijayan. Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala said the NIA normally questions someone for a scheduled crime and at least now Vijayan should seek the resignation of Jaleel and the LDF Ministry itself should quit.

Rejecting the demands, Vijayan said: "Jaleel appeared before the NIA as the agency wanted to get some information from him.I have not spoken to him about what NIA has asked. Anyhow, there is no chance for any case against him".

"There is no need for him to resign. He didn't ask for the Quran or Sakkath (charity offered during Ramzan). The Quran was not smuggled. It came to the airport and the customs cleared it," he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram when asked if the minister would be asked to put in his papers. Vijayan said the UAE consulate had received the baggage of the Quran and sought the help of Jaleel because he was also the minister for minorities affairs, adding he could not understand what was the complaint regarding Quran.

"He (Jaleel) has not committed any crime. But since there were complaints with the investigation agencies, they are seeking clarity. Let them investigate. We are not opposing it," the chief minister said. He said UDF convenor Benny Behanan and other BGP leaders had given a complaint against the minister to the central agency. "That's understandable. But on what basis is the Muslim League, a coalition partner of opposition UDF, engaged in the protests?" Vijayan asked.

The opposition agitation turned violent in several places, with police using lathi charge and water cannons to chase away the activists, many of whom were injured in the action. A police official said 12 of their personnel were also injured with three of them suffering shoulder dislocation.

Congress MLA V T Balaram, who was among those injured in the lathi-charge at Palakkad, alleged the police action was without any provocation and demanded an inquiry. As the opposition sharpened its attack against the ruling LDF, the leadership of the CPI(M), including senior leader and Law Minister A K Balan, came out in the support of the embattled minister, saying "seeking information" was part of the procedure of investigation and there was no need for anyone to resign.

Speaking to reporters at Haripad in Alappuzha, Chennithala demanded that the LDF government resign. "The NIA normally questions someone for a scheduled crime.

At least now, the Chief Minister should seek the resignation of Jaleel. It seems like the Chief Minister is refusing to seek the resignation because he fears the probe will reach his office. The government should resign under these circumstances and face elections," he said. Balan said the demand for resignation would have some sense if Jaleel had been arraigned as an accused in any case.

"It's just part of the procedure that the investigating agency seeks information on the matters. There is no need for anyone to resign just because some allegations were raised," he said in Palakkad. BJP state chief K Surendran said the allegations faced by Jaleel were serious and sought his resignation and also asked the government to step down.

Jaleel had earlier admitted that a consignment containing copies of Quran had been received from the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram which a top Customs official had referred to as "prima facie violation of FCRA". After the media reported about his interrogation by the ED, the minister had posted on Facebook: "Truth will prevail.

Only the truth. Even if the whole world opposes it, nothing else will happen."