Kerala Chief Minister Pinrayi Vijayan’s Additional Private Secretary CM Raveendran approached the Kerala High Court on Tuesday, requesting a stay on the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) summons in the gold smuggling case. Coincidently, ED summoned Raveendran for a fourth time on the same day he approached the High Court.
According to reports, Raveendran submitted a petition before the Kerala HC stating that he has not fully recovered from the post-Covid-19 sickness and apprehends that the ED is likely to detain him for long hours which he will not be able to endure. Raveendran has also asked the court to issue an order, directing the ED to allow a legal practitioner of Raveendran's choice to be present with him when he appears before the ED.
The ED first summoned Raveendran on November 4. At the time he sent an email, informing them that he cannot appear due to his illness. Two days later, Raveendran tested positive for Covid-19 and was hospitalized in Thiruvananthapuram. After being discharged from the hospital, the ED once again asked him to appear before them on November 27. However, Raveendran was admitted to the hospital on November 25 and was discharged two days later. Raveendran told ED that he needed more time to appear before them. On December 3, when the ED summoned him again, Raveendran no-showed citing health reasons.
