THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Government has initiated prosecution steps against seven persons, including the former Vice-Chancellor and Pro Vice-Chancellor of Kerala University, in the assistant appointment scam.
The appointment of 175 candidates to the assistant grade-II post in 2008 had courted a controversy following allegations of corruption and nepotism. The Minister has now directed Home Secretary Nivedita P Haran to issue a prosecution order based on a report by the Crime Branch.
Earlier, the government faced criticism when it sanctioned prosecution steps without invoking Section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The then VACB director ADGP S Ananthakrishnan wrote to the government to invoke the provision and also to secure sanction from the Governor.When approached, the Governor’s office told the government that there was no need for a sanction and the government was free to issue an order. It is not known whether the new order would allow prosecution under Section 197 of the CrPC which applies to serving and former government employees.
The other accused in the case are university Registrar, two Senate members and two local-level functionaries of the CPM.