The Enforcement Directorate initiated a major crackdown against Gokulam Gopalan, producer of the soon-to-be-released Malayalam blockbuster ‘L2: Empuraan’ and chairman of Gokulam Chit Funds and Finance. On Friday, raids were carried out simultaneously at various premises including the headquarters of the company in Kodambakkam, Chennai, his lavish bungalow in Neelankarai, and several of his properties in Coimbatore and Kozhikode. The agency seized a huge amount of Rs.1.5 crore in unexplained cash during the raids. Officials have also allegedly recovered some incriminating documents and digital records that are now under scrutiny.
Gopalan Interrogated In Chennai
Gopalan was present in Kozhikode, Kerala, when the raids were carried out. He was immediately summoned to Chennai by the ED and was grilled for hours. The interrogation continued until early Saturday morning at his Chennai office, say sources. The inquiry is being viewed in the context of a recently initiated broader investigation into suspected money laundering and financial mismanagement surrounding Gokulam Group’s chit fund activities. The group has been under the spotlight before due to similar charges, although none of them have ever reached this stage.
ED officials are reportedly probing whether any diverted or laundered funds have been used in the production of the film. If proven, this could have wider implications for the Malayalam film industry. How this case impacts on the L2: Empuraan image remains to be seen.
