CBI to question Sivasankar in LIFE Mission case today

Kochi, October 06: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday sent notice to former principal secretary to Kerala Chief Minister’s Office M Shivasankar, for interrogation regarding the LIFE Mission case. He has been directed to appear in its Kochi office by 10.30 am on Thursday. The case pertained to the Life Mission project of the State Government.

 

 

The LIFE Mission graft came to light during the investigation into the 2020 gold smuggling case through diplomatic channels busted at Thiruvananthapuram. The amount seized from the locker of gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh was, in fact, the commission received by Sivasankar.

 

Apparently, Rs 18.50 crore was collected through the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram for the LIFE Mission project. Of this, Rs 4 crores were used in the graft.

 

Earlier, the Customs Department had arraigned Sivasankar as the sixth accused in the dollar smuggling case.Sivasankar was suspended on July 17, 2020, after a chief secretary-level inquiry committee found him to have links with the accused in the gold smuggling through diplomatic channel case.

 

However, he was taken back to service in January 2022.