Life Mission Scam: SC Grants Bail To Ex-Kerala Principal Secretary On Medical Grounds

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to M Sivasankar, the former Principal Secretary to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on medical grounds.

The bench comprising Justice AS Bopanna and Justice MM Sundresh provided two months’ relief to Sivasankar for medical treatment.

The bench stated, “In a matter of the present nature where post-operative treatment will also be required, the applicant may be released on bail for medical treatment for a period of two months.”

Further, the apex court directed that during this period, Sivasankar shall not influence any witness.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre and ED, opposed the bail, citing Sivasankar’s proximity to a very high constitutional functionary. On April 13, the Kerala High Court denied bail to Sivasankar, citing concerns that he may tamper with evidence given his influence with the ruling party and the CM.

Sivasankar was arrested on February 14 in connection with the alleged violation of FCRA in the Left government’s flagship residential project, the Life Mission. The project was conceived by the Kerala government to provide homes to the homeless in the state. As part of the project, the construction of a residential complex in Wadakkanchery was proposed using funds provided by the International Humanitarian Organization Red Crescent. The contract for the construction was awarded to Unity Builders and San Ventures.

The allegation against Unity Builders is that they gave bribes to Sivasankar and UAE’s former Consulate General to secure the contract. This came to light when the ED and Customs Department arrested another former employee of the UAE Consulate, Swapna Suresh, and Sarith P.S. in connection with another case related to gold smuggling in Kerala.

CBI registered an FIR in Kochi Court under Section 120B (punishment for criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 35 of FCRA based on a complaint by Anil Akkara, the then MLA and Congress leader from Wadakkanchery. The accused were listed as Santosh Eappen and the company San Ventures as accomplices.

The alleged FCRA violation and corruption in the project became a major political issue at that time, with opposition parties levelling accusations against the main accused, Swapna Suresh, in the controversial gold smuggling case, stating that, “she confessed before the NIA that she had received a commission of 1 crore rupees for the project.”