Reports that Twenty20 joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) under pressure to avoid the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case against Kitex Garments Limited are false, said Sabu M. Jacob, President of Twenty20.
At a press conference here on Tuesday, Mr. Jacob, who is also the managing director of Kitex Garments, said the company would file a legal notice for criminal and civil damages against a news channel that broadcast alleged fake news allegedly at the behest of the CPI(M). Besides, a complaint would be filed with the Union Home Ministry against corrupt officials who leaked information from central agencies to create fake news.
He said the ED had issued a notice to the company in May last year asking for relevant documents for the past few years since the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the usual procedure to verify whether the entire value of its foreign exports were realized in India.
“We duly submitted the documents and the agency was satisfied, hence the matter is now closed. It is standard practice for agencies like GST, Income Tax, Foreign Trade Department, Customs and ED to issue notices seeking clarification on the basis of the documents submitted. Such notices addressed to the Director General are legally responded to by the concerned department staff, often without the Director General’s knowledge,” Jacob said.
He said similar notices have been sent to nearly 1,000 exporters across the country, including several clients of the same commercial branch of the nationalized bank where his company maintains an account. This was the latest example of attempts to sabotage Kitex driven by political enmity.
The export value is to be realized within 180 days of shipment, otherwise an extension should be applied, which we did during the pandemic as everything remains closed, Mr Jacob said.
DCC apologizes
District Congress Committee (DCC) President Muhammad Shiyas said that after admitting that he had received an ED notice regarding violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, Mr. Jacob should apologize to the people if he had any integrity left, as it has now come to light that his party joined the NDA camp just to escape the ED case.
He urged those who have self-respect to leave this party. The BJP, which uses central agencies including the ED to topple governments and seize power in various states, was trying the same strategy in Kerala, he said.
Mr. Shiyas alleged that Mr. Jacob had given up his party, the BJP, to avoid imprisonment.
Published – 27 Jan 2026 21:14 IST
