The Enforcement Directorate arrested on Monday Santhosh Eapen, the managing director of Unitac Builders, the firm that was contracted for constructing houses under the LIFE Mission project at Wadakkanchery.
This is the second arrest in the LIFE Mission case in which government officials were accused of receiving kickbacks. The agency had earlier arrested M. Sivasankar, the former Principal Secretary to the Kerala Chief Minister. The appeal of Mr. Sivasankar against the decision of the CBI court, which is considering the case booked against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, is pending before the High Court.
Mr. Eapen had earlier reportedly given statements to the ED that he had given commission to a few persons, including some government officials, for the work that was awarded to him. An iPhone, which he had reportedly purchased, was allegedly given to Mr. Sivasankar.
The ED had alleged in the remand report of Mr. Sivasankar that the ₹1.08 crore that was found in the locker of Swapna Suresh, another accused in the diplomatic channel gold smuggling case, was the commission amount in the housing project which was funded by Red Crescent, a UAE-based charity organisation.
Mr. Eapen was earlier arrested by the Customs in connection with the dollar smuggling case.
