CPI(M) leader Mercykutty Amma slams IAS officer over alleged deep-sea fishing deal controversy

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI(M) leader and former Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma on Sunday alleged that IAS officer N Prasanth was behind the multi-crore deep-sea fishing deal controversy and he played a role of 'villain' to hatch a political conspiracy.

Recently, Prasanth, Special Secretary, Department of Agriculture Development and Farmers’ Welfare, took to Facebook to accuse senior IAS officer Jayathilak, of "orchestrating baseless" news reports against him.

In his post, Prasanth alleged that Jayathilak had become a "special reporter" and was working to undermine him by spreading unfounded allegations through the media.

According to Mercykutty Amma, the plot involving the deep-sea fishing deal was a political conspiracy orchestrated by former Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and Prasanth, who had previously served as Chennithala's private secretary.

In a Facebook post, she alleged that the aim of the conspiracy was to secure all the coastal seats for the UDF in the 2021 Assembly polls.

Mercykutty Amma wrote: "Today, Kerala is witnessing the fallout of Shri Prashanth IAS breaking all service rules and common decency. But back in February 2021, Prasanth played the villain in a political conspiracy." The CPI(M) leader further alleged that on February 21, 2021, when the Congress’s political campaign march reached Kollam, Chennithala made a sensational claim that the Fisheries Department had sanctioned a Rs 5,000 crore deep-sea trawler deal.

"This news stirred up controversy. When reporters asked me, as the Fisheries Minister, I clarified that no such deal had taken place and the claims were baseless." She continued: "The very next day, Ramesh Chennithala released a document supposedly showing that an MoU had been signed for the Rs 5,000 crore deal along with an American Malayali. However, crucial information was deliberately withheld.

"Chennithala falsely claimed that the Fisheries Department had signed the MoU, but in reality, it was signed by Prasanth, the Managing Director of Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation, who is now at the centre of this controversy." Mercykutty Amma, who contested as LDF candidate in the 2021 Assembly elections, lost in Kundara constituency, where she was the sitting MLA.

The former minister concluded: "What a grand conspiracy! I had a feeling the truth would eventually emerge. Now, Prasanth IAS officer, once worked for Ramesh Chennithala and the UDF, has returned to play the villain. Satyameva Jayate." The Congress-led UDF on Saturday alleged that government officers in Kerala are embroiled in infighting under the Left regime.

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan criticised the LDF government, referring to the Facebook post by Prasanth against senior IAS officer A Jayathilak, which sparked controversy in the state.