Kerala Ex-Bureaucrat, Arrested In Life Mission Case, Denied Bail

A special Enforcement Directorate court today dismissed the interim bail plea of M Sivasankar, former principal secretary to Kerala Chief Minister's Office, in the LIFE Mission scam case. Officials of the Enforcement Directorate arrested him on February 14 this year.

A special court is considering ED-related cases.

The case pertains to the state government's LIFE Mission project, which intended to provide homes to the poor who lost their houses in the floods of 2018. The housing project was proposed at Vaddakanchery in the Thrissur district.

The project intended to build houses for 140 families in Vadakkanchery by spending Rs 14.50 crore out of Rs 18.50 crore granted by the Red Crescent via the UAE consulate

In April this year, Kerala High Court also dismissed Mr Sivasankar's bail plea in the LIFE Mission Scam Case observing that "Sivasankar has a lot of influence in the ruling party of Kerala. He is especially close to the Chief Minister".

Mr Sivashankar's bail plea in the same case is also pending before the Supreme Court.

In the bail plea before the High Court, Mr Sivasankar said, "The arrest is a political stunt. There is no direct allegation against the petitioner. The entire case is a political hit job by the Enforcement Directorate using the professional privity the petitioner had with the Chief Minister of Kerala."

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