Shaffi Mather, economic advisor to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, resigned on Thursday after his brother Raffi Mather alleged that Shaffi was harassing him using his official powers.
Denying the charge, Shaffi, however, said in his resignation letter to Chandy that it was “inappropriate” of him to continue in the post as Raffi and his wife Reshma had lodged a formal complaint against him with the Chief Minister.
He also urged the Chief Minister to conduct a thorough investigation by a competent authority into the allegations raised by his brother and sister-in-law. “I categorically affirm that I have not spoken even once to any Kerala Government official in regard to any matter pertaining to my brother, sister-in-law or my family,” he said in the letter.
But he added that he and his parents had “serious differences” with Raffi and his cousin Siraj Mather over the running of various businesses and the “misuse” of the family name.
Shaffi, a noted entrepreneur, was appointed the economic advisor in May 2012.