Audio leak reignites row over Congress leader Vijayan’s suicide in Kerala

Wayanad, Sep 14 (PTI) The controversy over the alleged suicide of former District Congress Committee (DCC) treasurer N M Vijayan in this hill district escalated on Sunday with the leak of an audio conversation between his family and senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan.

The family has alleged that Congress leaders, who had promised to take responsibility for Vijayan’s liabilities, "failed" to keep their word. Vijayan and his son Jijesh had allegedly died by suicide last year.

On Saturday, Vijayan’s daughter-in-law, Padmaja, attempted suicide by slitting her wrists, blaming Congress for not settling the liabilities.

In the leaked audio, Radhakrishnan was heard expressing concern that party leaders had failed to honour their promises. He mentioned that Kalpetta MLA T Siddique had not kept his word, adding that the matter could have been resolved much earlier.

Later, speaking to reporters, Radhakrishnan said he had not come across the audio clip. He stated that he headed a committee formed after Vijayan’s death and had submitted a report to the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) based on the family’s version.

“As the party directed that the report should remain confidential, I cannot disclose its contents. I am not the person to say whether justice was done to the family. I gave the inquiry report, and I understand some action was taken based on it,” he said.

He denied making accusations against fellow leaders. “I am not someone who blames party workers. I still hope the matter will be resolved,” Radhakrishnan said.

Meanwhile, MLA Siddique said that after the family raised concerns about liabilities, a legal agreement was reached. According to him, it had three points: Rs 20 lakh would be given to the family for immediate needs, hospital expenses would be cleared, and the party would take over Vijayan’s Rs 60 lakh loan pledged against his property.

“Of these, the first two have been completed. For the Rs 60 lakh liability, we have asked the Sultan Bathery Cooperative Bank to reduce the loan amount so it can be settled soon,” Siddique said, adding that he was deeply hurt by the family’s fresh allegations.

“I tried my best to help them. I am pained by these developments,” he said.

CPI(M) leader M V Jayarajan, who visited Padmaja in the hospital, assured assistance to the family. Speaking to reporters, he held Congress leaders responsible for the deaths of Vijayan and his son.

“Vijayan took loans to return money that Congress leaders had collected as bribes by promising jobs. When neither jobs were provided nor money returned, people pressured Vijayan. Leaders like I C Balakrishnan and N D Appachan allegedly asked him to pledge his house to repay the money. He was cheated by them, and even his son was betrayed after losing his job,” Jayarajan alleged.

In response, Siddique accused the CPI(M) of exploiting the situation. “Don’t be deceived by the CPI(M)’s smokescreen. Recognise their attempt to fish in troubled waters,” he wrote on Facebook. PTI TBA SSK