Cong slams Ker govt over 'denial' of nod to CAG to audit KIAL

Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Monday hit out at the state government over the alleged refusal of permission to the Comptroller and Auditor General to audit the Kannur International Airport Ltd (KIAL).

This was due to fear that corruption amounting to crores will be exposed,the leader of the opposition in the state assembly said in a release.

The "denial" of permission to CAG to audit KIAL came days after the government had allegedly rejected permission to audit the fund utilisation of Kerala infrastructure investment fund board (KIIFB).

"The finance minister tried to justify the denial of permission to the CAG to audit the KIIFB. If the government was not worried of being caught in any corruption scam, then why are they not allowing the CAG, a constitutional body, to audit it," Chennithala said in a release.

The Congress leader also said it was the CAG that had audited the KIAL till 2015-16.

"But since 2017, the state government has used some strange arguments to block the CAG audit. They claim that KIAL, a public sector undertaking with over 65 per cent public stake, was not a government company," Chennithala alleged.

He said the government must change its stance and grant permission to the CAG to audit KIIFB and the KIAL.

He claimed the Left government was drowning in corruption allegations.

"The denial of CAG audit itself is proof that there are enough corruption happening in the Left government," Chennithala said.

However, state Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac had earlier dismissed allegations that the government had denied permission to CAG to audit KIIFB and said under Section 14 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (duties, powers and conditions of service) Act, CAG can audit any firm that receives grant or loan from the government.

He had also said the CAG team had already inspected the accounts of KIIFB and audit queries were asked for which answers were provided.