CPI (M) Kerala secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who has been facing intense heat over a money laundering case against his son,  has been ‘granted a leave of absence’ for medical treatment, a party statement said.  A Vijayaraghavan will replace him.

“CPI (M) Kerala secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan granted a leave of absence from his post as he needs further medical treatment,” the party said, according to ANI.

Last week, the party secretariat had said that there was no need for the 66-year-old leader to quit over the charges against his son Bineesh. Kodiyeri said that Bineesh will have to face the case himself as an individual.

The Enforcement Directorate arrested Bineesh on October 29 in a money laundering case linked to a drug seizure in Karnataka The agency sought four days custody, saying they found drug peddler Mohammed Anoop’s debit card at his residence and needed to make further investigations.

The ED has alleged that the hotel Anoop was operating in Bengaluru was Bineesh’s Benami property. The probe agency has charged Bineesh with transferring huge amounts of money into Anoop’s bank account.

The ED probe stems from a Narcotics Control Bureau investigation that claimed to have busted an ecstasy pills drug trafficking racket in Karnataka in August along with the arrest of Anoop and two others.

Bineesh has maintained that he knew Anoop and his family and the latter had borrowed money from him and some others for setting up a restaurant business in Bengaluru a few years ago.