THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : With officials now ramping up probe against PK Ibahim Kunj followed by VS Shivkumar, the circle of UDF leaders on Vigilance radar has expanded. There now exists 11 Vigilance investigations against eight leaders including former Chief Minister Oomen Chandy and some who have been ministers in his former cabinet. Reports on a couple of these probes have already reached the court.
Apart from Oomen Chandy, those faced up with sleuths include Ramesh Chenithala, PK Kunjajlikutty, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnn, Adoor Prakash, Anoob Jacob, K Babu and VK Ibrahim Kunj. Vigilance is also investigating Congress MLA VS Shivakumar’s brother, VS Jayakumar, the former Devaswom Board Commissioner. Chennithala is being probed on counts of nepotism, shelling out govt land for private tourism in Neyyar and out-of-the-way appointment of N Shankar Reddy as Vigilance Director. Oomen Chandy is under scanner for nepotism and irregularities connected to construction works at Kannur airport. Chennithala too is suspected to be involved.
Vigilance report indicting K Babu pertains bar bribery and acquisition of disproportionate wealth. PK Kunjali Kutty and Adoor Prakash have a set of counts including conniving to lower restrictions on 127 acres of paddies which formed part of surplus land located in Puthanvayilkkara, Ernakulam and Maaduthumpaddy, Thrissur. Adoor Prakash is also tied to not-so-lawfully allowing a series of ration depots to be set up. Adoor Prakash also faces probe on a separate count. Shiva Kumar has Vigilance looking into his allegedly disproportionate wealth and for having issued out-of-the way NOC to a private medical college. Of these, the govt has lend nod for Vigilance case on disproportionate wealth.
Annob Jacob is on the radar for diverting ration stock into illegal hands while Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has charges of nepotism hanging overhead. Probe conducted in Titanium corruption case against Oomen Chandy and PK Ibrahim Kunj, have been transferred to CBI. Chennithala too is indicted in the case.
