Thiruvananthapuram Opposition Leader VD Satheesan has more skeletons tumbling out of the closet as a former Youth Congress leader begins to talk to Vigilance. Satheesan, prime accused in the Punarjani scam, has benami investments in Dubai-based Flora chain of hotels, the former Youth Congress Leader stated in his testimony.
The revelations come from former District Secretary of Youth Congress in Ernakulam, Rajendra Prasad in his statement to Vigilance team investigating the Punarjani case. According to Rajendra Prasad, former KSU leader Anura Mathai handles finances for Satheesan.
He further stated that Satheesan utilised MLA funds under cover of Punarjani to construct roads and other infrastructure that would help real estate mafia he had investments with. There also took place conspiracy to exclude the paddy stretch where Punarjani Road was constructed, Rajendra Prasad told investigators. An officer at Chattatukara Agricultural office is also involved in these irregularities. The woman for whom a house has been built on paddy land, has her own land located elsewhere, said Rajendra.
Building house at centre of leveled paddy wetland. the Punarjani Road and stone-laying for flat at corner of paddy land belonging to owner of Sarada Vidya Mandir in Elanthikar, are all real estate maneuvers engineered by Satheesan, said the former Youth Congress leader.
Crores of rupees collected overseas in the name of Punarjani project lie invested in Qatar businesses owned by son of Satheesan’s friend via two NGOs - Habitat for Humanity and Manapatt Foundation. These two Groups came handy for help for Satheesan during his overseas fundraising trips.
One of the benamis(proxy) had arrived at the Opposition Leader’s chamber in the Legislative Assembly in order to discuss investment of Punarjani funds in Qatar and local businesses here. Satheesan also received commissions by handing Punarjani contracts to sponsors, Rajendra Prasad told the investigating team.
