CPI(M) expels Kozhikode area committee member over various allegations including bribery

Kozhikode: The CPI(M) on Saturday expelled its Kozhikode Town Area Committee member, K V Pramod, whose name was reported in connection with allegations over bribes for appointments to the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC).

The District Secretariat of the ruling CPI(M), in a statement, however, did not refer to any allegations but said he was removed from the primary membership of the party for tarnishing its image in the public.

The issue was earlier raised in the state Assembly by the Opposition over news reports that a local CPI(M) leader in Kozhikode had allegedly collected bribes from a doctor under promises of securing a position as a PSC member.

The CPI(M) District Secretariat, which met on Saturday, decided to take action against Pramod after his name cropped up in news reports.

Meanwhile, Pramod, along with his mother and son, went to the house of one Sreejith, who had allegedly made the bribery claims, and staged a protest demanding to prove the accusations of bribery.

"I am trying to prove a point to my friends and family that I am innocent. For the past one week, the media has been reporting something like PSC bribery. I have made it clear that I am not a big leader who can do all this," Pramod told the media on Saturday.

He said the party was part of his life and would not do anything that will tarnish the image of the party.

Pramod had earlier claimed that media houses were accusing him of seeking bribes.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan had earlier told the Assembly that there were persistent attempts to tarnish the image of the Kerala PSC.

Vijayan said that the recruitment and appointment of PSC members is a corruption-free process.

"But there are many forms of fraud going around in society. If any such fraud happens, we will take serious action," Vijayan said.