KOCHI: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of the CBI, Kochi, has initiated a probe against additional director of Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Thiruvananthapuram, his wife and a Thiruvananthapuram-based medicine supplying company in connection with corruption and amassing disproportionate assets. An FIR against them was registered by the CBI two weeks ago and officers are now conducting checks into movable and immovable properties owned by the government officer and his family.
The case was registered against Dr Vinod Kumar, wife Rajalakshmi Krishna, and South End Trade Links and its proprietor Lenin Raveendran.The CBI alleged Vinod entered into a criminal conspiracy with Lenin's South End Trade Links which is a major supplier of medicine to CGHS Kerala. The doctor abused his official position and shared crucial information about the price quoted by rival suppliers during the tender process for procuring the medicines of CGHS.
By manipulating the tender process, the purchase order was allotted to South End Trade Links. For this, he allegedly received undue pecuniary advantages, according to the CBI.According to the CBI, Vinod allegedly through corrupt and illegal means had acquired assets disproportionate to his known sources of income in tune of Rs 2.76 crore between January 1, 2007, and March 31, 2017. According to the CBI, assets held by him in 2007 was of Rs 27 lakh. The same in 2017 was Rs 1.58 crore.
He possessed movable property worth Rs 2.34 crore in 2017. Income received by Vinod during the checked period was of Rs 1.36 crore and the expenditure during the period was to the tune of Rs 2.06 crore.The CBI estimated the disproportionate asset was 202 percent of the income Vinod had at the time.
"We are conducting checks into the properties owned by the accused and family. Details of the bank records and accounts have been sought as part of the probe," a CBI officer said.The case is probed by Jeejo P Joseph, Inspector, CBI. The FIR was registered at CBI Court in Thiruvananthapuram.