TRIVANDRUM, 30 September — A woman legislator in the southern Kerala has been accused of complicity in forging a document charging state Tourism Minister K.V. Thomas with illegally laundering a large sum of money through the hawala racket.
In a report submitted yesterday to chief judicial magistrate N.J. Jose, police named Congress MLA Shobana George as the third accused in the case that has kicked up a major political row in Kerala.
The other accused are her secretary Anil P. Sreerangam and Anil Nambiar, a reporter of the Surya TV that aired a document alleging that Thomas was involved in a Rs3.3 billion money laundering case.
Nambiar was arrested last month and is on bail. Sreerangam was picked up from George’s residence on Saturday and was produced before the court yesterday.
Jose ordered that Sreerangam be medically examined after he complained that the police had tortured him.
The police report also named journalist R. Jayachandran, said to be a close associate of George, as the fourth accused. Jayachandran and George’s driver reportedly disappeared just before police arrived at the legislator’s house Saturday.
The controversy arose after Surya TV aired on June 24 a letter purportedly written by the director general of police (vigilance) to the private secretary of Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Antony about the alleged involvement of Thomas in money laundering. Hours later, the police informed Antony that the document was forged.
Antony had alleged that the document was part of a conspiracy to topple his government.
