Vigilance orders probe in appointment row in Kerala

The complaint sought for an FIR to be lodged against Kerala's Industries Minister, E P Jayarajan

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has ordered a preliminary probe to look into certain controversial appointments made in the state's public sector undertakings.

A probe has been initiated against Kerala's Industries Minister, E P Jayarajan, for appointing relatives in key posts.

The bureau informed this to a special court that was hearing a private petition seeking to register a First Information Report (FIR) and ordering of a probe into the alleged appointments.

However, VACB Additional Prosecutor raised the contention that the petition was purely based on newspaper clippings and that they were only secondary evidence to the allegations.

The next hearing of the case is scheduled to take place on October 17.

The complaint had also sought  the filing of an FIR and against Jayarajan, who had allegedly appointed P K Sudheer, his nephew and son of CPI(M) Kannur MP P K Sreemathi, as the Managing Director of Kerala State Industrial Enterprises Ltd.

It was also alleged that some relatives of other party leaders were also given key posts in PSUs.

The Special Court (Vigilance) had directed the bureau to file its reply on the alleged appointments by October 14.

With opposition Congress and BJP targeting the ruling Left Democratic Party (LDF) on the issue, the state government had on October 13 decided to bring in a law to prevent nepotism in appointments in key positions in PSUs in the state.

The cabinet had also entrusted Chief Secretary S M Vijayan with the task of examining various complaints with regard to all appointments.

The complaint filed in the Vigilance court contended that nepotism amounted to corruption. It also wanted registration of a case under Prevention of Corruption Act.