VACB unearths land deal documents by suspected benami of Babu

An investigation by the special cell of the Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau (VACB) has unearthed documents related to land deals allegedly by a suspected benami of former Kerala Excise Minister K Babu.
VACB officials today said one Baburam had effected 27 land deals worth crores of rupees between 2011 and 2016 when Babu, a senior Congress leader, was a Minister in the Congress-led UDF government.
It came to the fore two days after Kerala's anti- corruption watchdog conducted searches at the residences of Babu, his two daughters and his two alleged benamis in connection with a disproportionate assets case against him.

The Ernakulam VACB special cell team had seized valuable documents from their houses.
VACB sources said Baburam owns land worth crores of rupees in Thrippunithura and other parts of the state.
In the FIR filed before the Court of Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, Muvattupuzha, VACB Special Cell has submitted that Babu used Baburam as his benami for the land dealings.

"He (Babu) also invested ill-gotten money for the benami business with one Mohanan, Royal Bakers, Thrippunithura."
'"During the verification it is revealed that Baburam and Mohanan have no source for running their business and they use luxury vehicles like BMW and Benz. Inquiry revealed that the assets possessed by them are the benami of Babu," the FIR said.

Babu and his alleged benamis have rejected the charges against them.
"It is an act of vengeance against me," the Congress leader had said reacting to the raids.
Meanwhile, tightening the investigation against Babu, the probe team has decided to examine the bank lockers of his daughter in Ernakulam.
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Vigilance sleuths found 117 sovereigns of gold jewels in
a nationalised bank locker of Babu's daughter in Ernakulam.
They sealed the locker after examination, Vigilance special cell officials said.
They said Babu's daughter's locker in another nationalised bank would also be examined.