Kochi, Dec. 20 -- Following the arrest of CPM district committee member A. Padmakumar in the Sabarimala gold smuggling case, CPM Pathanamthitta District Secretary Raju Abraham said on Saturday that the CPM State Committee is the authority that must provide the direction to the Pathanamthitta District Committee on how to handle the Padmakumar issue.

He stated that the matter was not discussed at the recent committee meeting and that the District Committee is awaiting formal instructions. Any formal disciplinary action by the State Committee will be taken only after the final investigation report is submitted. State Secretary M.V. Govindan has stated that, once a decision is made, the CPM Pathanamthitta District Committee will implement st...