THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Finance Department will conduct a probe into the alleged irregularities and corruption at the GV Raja Sports School at Mylom here, Sports Minister A C Moideen has said.
He was addressing a meeting with the students who have been protesting since Friday after school principal C S Pradeep Kumar was transferred in the wake of an adverse police report. Interestingly, the students urged the minister to cancel Kumar’s transfer. But this was rejected by the minister on the ground the allegations against the principal are of a serious nature. He said a final decision could be taken only after obtaining the Finance Department’s reports and the police probe.
Despite the minister’s flat refusal, the students later said they welcomed the decision to get the Finance Department to probe the matter since they believe Kumar has been the victim of a ‘witch hunt’. However, the Sports Minister’s Office said it suspects the students’ protest has been orchestrated by some vested interests, including the former principal. The special branch had earlier reported Pradeep Kumar’s involvement is suspected in the recurring incidents of food poisoning at the school hostel mess. Pradeep Kumar was transferred to Kannur Sports School and headmaster Jain Raj was transferred to Idinjar Tribal School.
On Thursday, high drama prevailed at the school after some students threatened to flung themselves to the ground from the school building’s terrace. Later, they backed down after the Sports Minister spoke to them on the phone. The special branch report said the food poisoning incidents is the ‘fallout’ of the disagreement between the principal and the mess contractor over the ‘bribe’ for the former.