Two senior IAS officers among 7 chargesheeted

Two senior IAS officers, including former Collector of Lakshadweep Islands Abraham Varickamakkal, are among the seven accused against whom CBI has filed a charge sheet in a case relating to purchase of construction materials in the Union Territory between 2006-2008.
The charge sheet was filed before the CBI special court here yesterday.
The accused are Abraham Varickamakkal, former Collector and Development Commissioner and Chairman of Lakshadweep Building Development Board, his wife Kaberi Senapati hailing from Assam, former Administrator and Tamil Nadu native B V Selvaraj, Executive Engineer LPWD S Attakoya, M M Associates Beypore Managing Director H K Mohammed Kasim, his accountant Sajid M Parammel and businessman T P Naufal.

According to the charge sheet, Varickamakkal, who is the first accused, was alleged to have purchased materials without inviting tenders for various projects, causing a loss of about Rs one crore to the exchequer.
The accused had colluded by procuring granite chips, river sand and other construction materials from M M Associates for supply to the public without going through the tender process.
The two IAS officers and Attakoya had allegedly received cash and presents following the favour bestowed on the Beypore company. Though Selvaraj had first objected to the manner in which materials were being procured from M M Associates, he allegedly relented after gold necklace, drop studs and laptops were gifted.