Narcotics Control Bureau to most likely seek custody of Bineesh Kodiyeri today

The fate of Bineesh Kodiyari, son of CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, will be revealed as his custody term with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on drugs trade case ends today. The ED had arrested Bineesh for his supposed financial links to Mohammed Anoop, a businessman who had been arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau in connection with a drug racket in August.

In his statement to the ED, Anoop, whose finances are being probed, said that Bineesh had lent him Rs 50 lakh to start a business in Bengaluru. Bineesh however told the ED that he had borrowed the money from a friend to loan Anoop. Bineesh has been in the custody of the ED, who has booked a case against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, for the past 12 days.

Meanwhile, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is likely to seek his custody so as to initiate interrogation on him on the basis of the testimony given by Anoop in the Bengaluru drug trade case, when he is produced before the Special Court today. In an earlier statement, Anoop said that Bineesh is his 'boss' and that he is only a 'benami' in the drug trade. He also said that he only handled the money ploughed in by Bineesh

The NCB wants to determine whether Bineesh really gave Anoop the money.