ED arrests former Kerala bureaucrat for violation in Life Mission project

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KOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate has taken M Sivasankar, former principal secretary to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, into custody in connection with alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulations) Act in the Life Mission project.

Sivasankar was being questioned by the central probe agency for the past three days here and he was taken into custody on Tuesday night, officials said.

Sources said his arrest would be recorded soon and the former bureaucrat produced before a court on Wednesday after a medical check-up.

Sivasankar had retired on January 31.

He was earlier arrested in a related gold smuggling case involving diplomatic baggage to the UAE consulate.

The Life Mission project aims at providing houses for poor at Wadakkanchery in Thrissur district of Kerala.