After Karuvannur, CPI-M controlled cooperative society in Wayanad seems heading for trouble

Wayanad (Kerala), May 29 Three days after Kerala's ruling CPI-M and its top leaders were arraigned as accused in the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank scam, another CPI-M-controlled cooperative society, this time in the state's Wayanad, seems to be in trouble, with a large number of depositors claiming that they are unable to retrieve their money.

The CPI-M suffered a rude jolt on Monday when the Enforcement Directorate filed its final charge sheet in the around Rs 300 crore Karuvannur Bank scam, naming the CPI-M, its sole Lok Sabha member K. Radhakrishnan, legislator and former minister A.C. Moideen, and numerous other leaders, as accused.

The CPI-M controlled Brahmagiri Development Society (BDS), which was earlier led by state SC/ST and Wayanad President O.R. Kelu, is presently headed by top CPI-M leaders from the district.

On Thursday, over two dozen depositors were seen standing before the society and expressing anguish about their deposits not being returned.

"I had deposited Rs 19 lakh, the sum I got as part of my retirement benefits. While depositing the money, I told them (society officials) that I might need it back quickly as my daughter’s wedding is being planned," an angry woman depositor said.

"After my daughter’s wedding was fixed, I came to get the money and I was sent back each time, with promises that I would be given the money back, but till date I have not got anything," she added.

Another woman said she has deposited a sum of Rs 45 lakh with the BDS, and on seeking to claim it, has only got assurances and not the money.

“ The stage today is that despite our best efforts to reach Kelu or the BDS officials, none of them are picking up our calls. I will not budge as I need my money back and I am ready to stage a sit-in protest before the BDS office," another distraught lady depositor said.

Wayanad district Panchayat President Samshad Marrakar said the BDS is controlled fully by the CPI-M.

"People are running helter-skelter as deposits are not being returned, and this has been going on for a while. All the top state leaders of the CPI-M, including state party Secretary M.V. Govindan, are aware of the present fluid situation of the society. Apart from individual depositors, the BDS holds deposits from numerous primary cooperative societies, and hence it is a serious issue," Marrakar said.

The BDS was the brainchild of the late former CPI-M legislator P.V. Varghese Vaidyar. Later, another party legislator, Krishna Prasad, took over its reins, and it branched out into various projects, which are not doing well. Then came the Covid pandemic, after which it has not been able to pick up, leaving depositors in a fix.

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