Bribery allegation against ED Kochi official: Complainant makes serious revelations

In a Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) bribery case involving an Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer, the complainant, a Kollam-based businessman, came forward on Sunday with serious revelations pointing to a nexus between a middleman and ED officials.

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

Aneesh Babu, who runs a cashew export-import firm, said the ED office contacted him on the phone number he had used to call Wilson Varghese, one of the accused from Thammanam, Kochi, who introduced himself as an ED agent.

Speaking to the media in Kochi, he revealed that Wilson acted as an intermediary between him and ED officers. Wilson allegedly initiated contact via phone and relayed information about the ED's actions beforehand. Aneesh said whenever he (Wilson) anticipated a forthcoming call from the ED, it followed, suggesting coordination between Wilson and ED officials.

He claimed that ED Assistant Director Sekhar Kumar, the first accused in the case, never asked for a bribe directly but was identified by Wilson as the person behind the scheme.

Aneesh further claimed that he was subjected to undue mental pressure by the ED officials, particularly by a senior officer named Radhakrishnan, who is currently serving as the Additional Director of the ED.