Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, the former Kerala Home Minister, died at age 70, his party confirmed. He was being treated for cancer at a private hospital in Chennai. “We dip the red flag in homage”, the CPI (M) wrote in a social media post on Saturday evening.

Balakrishnan had been a politburo member of the Communist party and served as the Kerala state secretary from 2015 to 2022, news agency PTI reported. He also served as the Kerala Minister of Home and Tourism Affairs between 2006 and 2011.

Also Read: Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, former Kerala Home Minister, dies at 70

Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was married to SR Vinodini for more than 50 years. Vinodini is the daughter of MV Rajagopalan Master, a former MLA of Kerala. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and SR Vinodini had two children — Binoy Kodiyeri and Bineesh Kodiyeri, media reports say.

Here is what we know about Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s sons:

Bineesh Kodiyeri

Bineesh Kodiyeri, the younger son of the CPI (M) leader, was apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate in Bangalore in October 2020. The Times of India reported that Bineesh Kodiyeri was being held under the Prohibition of Money Laundering Act for his alleged involvement with a Bengaluru drug dealer who was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in August.  

He had previously appeared before the Enforcement Directorate earlier that month. He was allowed to leave after hours of questioning.

Also Read: Kodiyeri Balakrishnan: Family, net worth and age

Binoy Kodiyeri

Binoy Kodiyeri, the elder son of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, was in the news two days before his father died. Bombay High Court quashed an FIR registered against Binoy Kodiyeri in an alleged rape case. Binoy Kodiyeri had paid ₹80 lakh as compensation to the woman and the child born out of the incident, according to reports from The Hindu.

Not much is known about the personal lives of Binoy Kodiyeri and Bineesh Kodiyeri.