KOCHI: Kerala HC ordered Friday a CBI investigation against CM Pinarayi Vijayan ’s chief principal secretary K M Abraham for allegedly amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Justice K Babu’s order came on a petition by activist Jomon Puthenpurackal, challenging the dismissal of his complaint against Abraham by the inquiry commissioner and special judge of Thiruvananthapuram.
The court directed the SP of CBI’s Kochi unit to register an FIR against Abraham and the Vigilance and AntiCorruption Bureau (VACB) to hand over the case files to the central agency.
Puthenpurackal’s petition alleged that between 2000 and 2015, Abraham acquired three properties –– an apartment in Mumbai valued at Rs 3 crore, another at Thycaud in Thiruvananthapuram worth Rs 1 crore, and a three-storey shopping complex at Kadappakkada in Kollam, estimated atRs 8 crore.
Abraham, who is also CEO of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board, was previously the state’s chiefsecretary.
VACB’s preliminary report said it didn’t find sub stantive evidence to support the allegations. The special court accepted the bureau’s contention and dismissed the complaint against Abraham.
HC found “prima facie evidence” suggesting Abraham had acquired assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. It noted that during the preliminary inquiry, the investigation officer deliberately excluded from consideration “a substantial immovable asset” acquired by Abraham by curtailing the check period.
Given the fact that Abraham currently holds a cabinet-rank post as chief principal secretary to CM, to whom the directorate of vigilance reports, the court said a VACB investigation would not inspire confidence.
To ensure a fair, independent and credible investigation — the court held the pribe must be conducted by CBI.
Justice K Babu’s order came on a petition by activist Jomon Puthenpurackal, challenging the dismissal of his complaint against Abraham by the inquiry commissioner and special judge of Thiruvananthapuram.
The court directed the SP of CBI’s Kochi unit to register an FIR against Abraham and the Vigilance and AntiCorruption Bureau (VACB) to hand over the case files to the central agency.
Puthenpurackal’s petition alleged that between 2000 and 2015, Abraham acquired three properties –– an apartment in Mumbai valued at Rs 3 crore, another at Thycaud in Thiruvananthapuram worth Rs 1 crore, and a three-storey shopping complex at Kadappakkada in Kollam, estimated atRs 8 crore.
Abraham, who is also CEO of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board, was previously the state’s chiefsecretary.
VACB’s preliminary report said it didn’t find sub stantive evidence to support the allegations. The special court accepted the bureau’s contention and dismissed the complaint against Abraham.
HC found “prima facie evidence” suggesting Abraham had acquired assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. It noted that during the preliminary inquiry, the investigation officer deliberately excluded from consideration “a substantial immovable asset” acquired by Abraham by curtailing the check period.
Given the fact that Abraham currently holds a cabinet-rank post as chief principal secretary to CM, to whom the directorate of vigilance reports, the court said a VACB investigation would not inspire confidence.
To ensure a fair, independent and credible investigation — the court held the pribe must be conducted by CBI.
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