Land assignment: Quick verification ordered against Chandy

In the second such order against former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy this week, a vigilance court on Saturday directed a quick verification against him and former revenue minister Adoor Prakash over a controversial land assignment involving some private plantations during the previous United Democratic Front (UDF) rule.

Muvattupuzha vigilance court judge P Madhavan directed the state Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to conduct the quick verification on a complaint over assignment of over 700 acres of excess land to Idukki-based plantations by the Chandy government, which was later repealed by it.

This is the second such verification ordered by a vigilance court in the state against Chandy over actions of the previous UDF government.

On August 1, a vigilance court in Thrissur had ordered quick verification against Chandy on a complaint by a Bharatiya Janata Party activist alleging irregularities in appointments to Palakkad Government Medical College.

In the present case, complainant G Gireesh Babu, a social activist, contended that though the Chandy regime had repealed the order issued in February to assign the land, the action was punishable under Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant).

Considering the petition, judge Madhavan observed that the hurried decision changing the government's earlier stand created doubts regarding its bona fide as alleged.

"A quick verification of the circumstances which led to the issue of government order and its cancellation is absolutely necessary," the court said.

He ordered the quick verification against Chandy, Prakash and others — officials and plantation owners.