NRI investor's suicide: CPI-M leaders assure action

Leaders of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in Kerala have assured the widow of Nigeria-based NRI businessman Sajan Parayil that action will be taken against those responsible for her husband's suicide.

Sajan Parayil, 49, was found hanging from the roof of his home in Kannur on Tuesday, after a state-of-the-art convention centre that he built by investing Rs 16 crore failed to get clearance from the district's Anthoor Municipality.

The expatriate businessman's wife Beena blamed Anthoor Municipality chairperson P.K. Shyamala for his suicide. Shyamala is the wife of CPI-M's central committee member and former legislator M.V. Govindan. 

And the tragedy has become a major embarrassment for Kerala's ruling CPI-M as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been travelling the world and asking Malayalis based there to invest in the state.

Taking suo moto congnisance of the suicide, the Kerala High Court on Friday asked the state government to investigate the reasons behind it.

Beena on Saturday told the media: "Top CPI-M leaders, who visited me to condole my husband's death assured of action against the Municipality chairperson. CPI-M legislator James Mathew always supported my husband."

Mathew said: "As a legislator, I extended all support to Sajan's venture and as a CPI-M supporter Sajan also got all support from me."

Kannur MP K. Sudhakaran and Kasargode MP Rajmohan Unnithan also called on Beena.

"The chairperson (Shyamala) sanctioned a resort being built by E.P. Jayarajan (State Industries Minister) without raising an issue over hills being cleared for it," said Sudhakaran. 

"There is a fight going on between top CPI-M leaders and there is an agenda behind not giving clearance to the convention centre and it should be probed," he added.

Earlier, State Local Self-Governments Minister A.C. Moideen had suspended four government employees attached to the Anthoor Municipality but did not speak anything against Shyamala. 

"Government employees were made scapegoats, when the chairperson should have been asked to quit," said Unnithan. IANS