Kochi, May 18 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan and the ruling CPI(M) on Sunday alleged that there was widespread corruption in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and that it was being used to target political rivals of the Centre and extort money from honest businessmen.

Satheesan alleged that a huge percentage of ED officials were "corrupt" and the agency was not doing the work it was created for, instead it was being used as a tool to attack political opponents of the Centre.

Satheesan's allegations came in response to reporters' queries about a senior ED official being booked by the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) in a corruption case recently.

A similar allegation was made by the CPI(M) state secretariat, which claimed that the ED was taking bribes to settle cases.

In a statement, the CPI(M) also alleged that there were several complaints, including from priests, of the agency threatening people to extort money from them.

The Left party claimed all this was the "bitter consequence" of the BJP using the agency to target political rivals, instead of investigating and catching those involved in black money transactions.

The CPI(M) also said that it needs to be found out who is getting the money allegedly extorted by ED officials by writing off cases that are of interest to the BJP.

It further alleged that besides the BJP, the Congress also has links with the corrupt officials in the ED.

Earlier in the day, Satheesan alleged that the ED sends notices to various people and then takes crores of money from them to settle the cases by using intermediaries.

"Such complaints are there against the ED across the country. I am not saying all ED officials are corrupt, but a huge percentage of them are. It is not doing the work it was set up for under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Not even one per cent of its cases are solved.

"It has been for a long time now only handling political cases and going after opponents of the ruling dispensation at the Centre. It is being used to harass the political opponents of the central government," the opposition leader told reporters here.

Satheesan further mentioned that the case against the ED official was the latest example and evidence of the corruption in the agency.

He also claimed that there was a CPI(M)-BJP nexus in Kerala as both sides were settling the various corruption cases against each other.

An ED officer, attached to the Kochi unit of the central agency, was booked as the first accused in the corruption case registered as per the complaint of a businessman, the VACB had said on Saturday.

Three people, including a chartered accountant, have already been arrested in the case for allegedly seeking a bribe of Rs two crore from the businessman not to arraign him in an ED case.

As per the remand report submitted by the VACB before the court, the ED official is the key accused in the case.

The other accused were arrested on Friday, while the Kochi-based chartered accountant was arrested on Saturday, a senior VACB official had said.

The accused ED official is yet to be arrested. PTI HMP HMP KH

Corruption in Enforcement Directorate alleged, with claims of bribery and political targeting prompting anti corruption probe. Allegations assert systemic corruption in the Enforcement Directorate, claiming officials solicit bribes via intermediaries to settle or avoid arraignment in PMLA matters and that the agency is used to pursue political opponents. A VACB complaint in Kerala names an ED officer as a key accused and three intermediaries - including a chartered accountant - have been arrested for allegedly seeking a bribe to prevent arraignment; the ED officer is yet to be arrested.