Thrissur, 17 September (H.S.): The Special Investigation Team probing the alleged fraud connected with efforts to bring Argentine football legend Lionel Messi to Kerala has been given complete freedom to conduct its investigation, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said.

Chennithala said the police had carried out searches after obtaining all necessary legal documents and insisted that neither the Home Department nor the minister interfered in police investigations.

The SIT was constituted under the leadership of Law and Order Additional Director General of Police P.Vijayan to investigate the controversy surrounding the proposed Messi visit. The decision followed a report submitted by the Sports Secretary.

Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan forwarded the report to the Home Minister with instructions to initiate appropriate action. The Home Department examined the findings before forming the special team and ordering a detailed investigation.

Chennithala said established legal procedures governed the functioning of the SIT. According to the information available to him, investigators did not commit any unlawful act while conducting searches at a media organisation linked to the case.

However, the government would examine allegations that irregularities had occurred during the searches, he said. Any credible complaint regarding violations by investigating officers would be considered in accordance with the law.

Responding to criticism over the police action against the media organisation, Chennithala said searches at media offices were not unprecedented. Similar operations had taken place during the previous LDF government, but they were not portrayed as an imposition of Emergency-like conditions, he said.

The minister maintained that the nature of the institution involved would not prevent the police from acting if evidence of illegal activity emerged. Investigators would proceed strictly on the basis of facts, documents and applicable legal provisions.

“Whoever engages in unlawful activities will face action from the police,” Chennithala said, adding that the government remained committed to an impartial and transparent investigation into the alleged fraud.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman