Scam That Never Was Now Too Hot to Handle

Soon after the telecast of the news, Karunakaran issued a statement reminding all and sundry that he had resigned in the wake of ISRO spy case erupted even though the charges were later found to be false. The message was clear: Thomas should go. The Opposition Left Democratic Front joined the chorus, with Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan demanding a judicial probe even as his colleagues stalled Assembly proceedings.

However, Chief Minister A K Antony declined to take action against the minister, saying that the intelligence report was fabricated. Smelling a conspiracy ag-ainst his government, An-tony ordered a probe by the Crime Branch.

Initially, the investigative team appeared to be at a loss, but then Surya TV’s Thiruvananthapuram bureau chief Anil Nambiar reportedly told the Crime Branch that Congress MLA Shobana George, who is close to K Karuna-karan, had played a key role in handing over the ‘intelligence’ report to him. Nambiar testified that he did not cross-check the report as he had full faith in his source.

Along with Nambiar, the Crime Branch team questioned R Jayachandran, a former reporter with vernacular daily Thaniniram and a close associate of Shobana George. Nambiar later identified Jayachandran as the man who called him up, described himself as DySP intelligence and promised to provide the ‘explosive’ document. While Nambiar was arrested and released on bail, Jayachandran got himself admitted to a city hospital. S Chandramohan, a reporter with Rashtra Deepika was also questioned in this connection. Both are now under police surveillance.

Though the Crime Branch is yet to get any definite evidence to corroborate Nambiar’s statement, the needle of suspicion points increasingly towards Shobana George. With the questioning of George’s private secretary P Anil Kumar, decks have been cleared for her interrogation.

Several theories are doing the rounds regarding the motive behind the conspiracy. One is that it aimed at having Thomas dropped from the Cabinet, leading possibly to the induction of someone close to the conspirators.

Investigating officials are now looking for two persons who delivered the fake document to Surya TV’s office, even as Shobana has categorically denied any involvement in the episode. ‘‘It is aimed at wrecking my political career. I have done nothing wrong,’’ she said.