Former Vijayan aide Sivasankar sent back to jail as ED does not seek custody

Kochi, Feb 24 (IANS) Former IAS officer M. Sivasankar, who was a top aide to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during 2016-21, was on Friday sent back to jail after the Enforcement Directorate, who had his custody for the past nine days, did not seek any extension.

Sivasankar was produced before a court here and since the ED did not seek further custody, the court sent him back to the jail.

He superannuated from service on January 31 and few days later he appeared before the ED probing into the bribery case in the Vijayan government’s pet “Life Mission” project – intended to provide homes to the poor who lost their houses in the devastating floods of 2018.

And after three days of questioning, Sivasankar was arrested by the ED and the court first gave sent him into its custody for five days. On Monday, the agency requested the court for another four more days and it ended on Friday.

With the ED on Friday not seeking further custodial interrogation, counsel for Sivasankar moved his bail petition.

On Tursday, the ED served a notice to C.M. Ravindran, the assistant private secretary to Vijayan and considered the Chief Minister’s closest aide, to appear before them at their office here on Monday.

–IANS

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