The income tax (IT) department on Thursday conducted an inspection at Vaidekam Ayurveda Resort in Morazha in Kannur district (north Kerala) being owned by the wife and son of the Left Democratic Front convenor E P Jayarajan, people close to the federal agency said.
They said raid was followed by a complaint filed by a journalist and rights activist M R Ajaykumar last week alleging money laundering and hawala transactions in connection with the running of the luxury resort. A team from Kochi arrived at the resort in the afternoon and continued inspection for four hours, they said. They also said the Enforcement Directorate (ED), another central agency, has also sought some details from them.
But later E P Jayarajan and resort CEO Thomas Joseph said it was only an inspection related to tax deducted at source (TDS), not a raid as portrayed by a section of the media. “They sought some details and we readily handed over them. It is not a raid, it is only an inspection regarding TDS issue. We are co-operating fully with the IT department,” said Thomas Joseph.
This resort was in news recently after another senior leader from Kannur P Jayarajan reportedly raised serious charges against it and its promoters at the party state committee meeting which was later leaked out to media. Jayarajan reportedly questioned the funding of the resort and subsequent violation of rules. A portion of the idyllic hill was flattened in Morazha village to build the resort and there were reports local bodies were pressurised to get clearances. E P Jayarajan’s wife P K Indira and son Jaison are directors of the resort.
After the controversy erupted Jayarajan said his wife had invested her retirement benefits in the project. But there were reports that many persons with dubious background also invested in it. As the issue snowballed into a controversy the party distanced from it saying it was creation of the media. The party is yet to react over the latest inspection also.
Interestingly E P Jayarajan, also a party central committee member, was keeping away from important party activities after the resort controversy erupted. He failed to attend the ongoing state-wide yatra of the state secretary M V Govindan citing ill-health. But people close to him said he was upset with the party for not defending him when the row came up. Inner party squabbles have been hounding the party in its northern fort, Kannur, for quite some time, they said. The party also started a campaign recently to weed out alleged criminal elements_ last week two leaders allegedly involved in many political murders were jailed under the goonda act and taken out of the district.
The income tax (IT) department inspected Vaidekam Ayurveda Resort in Morazha in Kerala’s Kannur district owned by the wife and son of the Left Democratic Front convenor E P Jayarajan on Thursday, people close to the federal agency said.
The people said the raid was based on a complaint filed by a journalist and rights activist M R Ajaykumar last week alleging money laundering and hawala transactions in connection with the running of the luxury resort.
A team from Kochi arrived at the resort in the afternoon and continued inspection for four hours, the above-cited people said, adding that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and another central agency have sought some details from the IT department.
However, Jayarajan and resort CEO Thomas Joseph said the inspection was related to tax deducted at source (TDS), not a raid as portrayed by a section of the media.
“They sought some details, and we readily handed over them. It is not a raid. It is only an inspection regarding the TDS issue. We are cooperating fully with the IT department,” said Joseph.
The Vaidekam Ayurveda Resort was in the news recently after another senior leader from Kannur, P Jayarajan, reportedly raised allegations against it and its promoters at the party state committee meeting, which was later leaked out to the media.
Jayarajan reportedly questioned the funding of the resort and subsequent violation of rules. A portion of the idyllic hill was flattened in Morazha village to build the resort, and there were reports local bodies were pressurised to get clearances. E P Jayarajan’s wife, P K Indira, and son Jaison are directors of the resort.
After the controversy erupted, Jayarajan said his wife had invested her retirement benefits in the project. But there were reports that many persons with dubious backgrounds also invested in it. As the issue snowballed into a controversy the party distanced from it, saying it was “the creation of the media”. The party is yet to react to the latest inspection.
Interestingly E P Jayarajan, a party central committee member, was kept away from important party activities after the resort controversy erupted, according to people close to developments.
He failed to attend the ongoing state-wide yatra of the state secretary M V Govindan citing ill health. But people close to him said he was upset with the party for not defending him when the row came up.
Inner party squabbles have been hounding the party in its northern fort, Kannur, for quite some time, they said.