A bribery scandal involving an Opposition MLA has broken out in Kerala, impeding efforts to corner the ruling Left front government over a gold-smuggling case in which a top bureaucrat has been questioned.

The Enforcement Directorate has launched a probe against K.M. Shaji of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) who has been accused of accepting Rs 25 lakh in bribe in 2014 for sanctioning higher secondary status to a school in his Azhikode Assembly constituency in Kannur.

Though Shaji had denied any wrongdoing, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau booked him in April this year.

Initiating an investigation into the money-laundering charges against Shaji, the ED has summoned the MLA and several others to appear before the agency on November 10.

The ongoing probe by the ED to locate Shaji’s assets led them to a palatial house in Kozhikode allegedly built in his wife’s name.

Based on the ED’s order, the engineering division of the Kozhikode Corporation measured the dimensions of the mansion and found that it was built over 5,200 square feet instead of 3,000 square feet for which permission was granted. The civic body has issued a notice to demolish the unauthorised building.

The ruling Left Democratic Front quickly grabbed the opportunity to nail the lawmaker whose party is part of the Congress-led United Democratic Front and a significant player in northern Kerala.

The ED’s entry and allegations of disproportionate assets against Shaji emerged at a time the former secretary of the chief minister’s office, M. Sivasankar, has been questioned for nearly 100 hours over his alleged links with some of the key accused in the gold smuggling case.