Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the state Assembly today that a thorough investigation is underway to determine if political leaders played a role in the sprawling Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds scam that has rocked the state.

The fraudulent scheme, which promised scooters, laptops, and sewing machines at half price under the pretext of corporate sponsorship, has defrauded 48,384 victims of Rs 231 crore, though unofficial estimates peg the total loss at over Rs 1,000 crore.

Addressing the Assembly, Vijayan revealed that 1,343 cases have been registered statewide, with 669 under Crime Branch scrutiny. “Initially, people received items at half price, but then nothing happened,” he said, noting the scam’s early success in luring investors. “Whether politicians were involved will only be clear as the probe advances.”

The investigation has already ensnared Ananthu Krishnan, 28, the alleged mastermind, and K.N. Anand Kumar, a prominent social activist and NGO Confederation Chairman, both now in custody with frozen bank accounts. Kumar, currently hospitalized for cardiac treatment, reportedly received Rs 10 lakh monthly from Krishnan.

The scam’s aggressive marketing duped thousands into investing their savings, only for deliveries to cease, leaving victims reeling. The Crime Branch has uncovered its reach across all 14 Kerala districts, while the Enforcement Directorate’s raids last month at 12 locations signal a parallel hunt for money laundering trails.

As the probe intensifies, the political dimensions of this multi-crore fraud remain a critical unanswered question.