KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has directed the police to constitute a team of officers with good investigative skills to probe the complaints regarding financial irregularities allegedly committed by Jasmin Sha, national president, United Nurses Association (UNA), and other office-bearers. The ADGP (Crimes) should personally monitor the investigation in the case registered at the Crime Branch police station, Thiruvananthapuram.
Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan issued the order on the petition filed by Sha and others seeking to quash the FIR registered against him for alleged misappropriation of funds of the association. Shoby Joseph, state committee member; Nithin Mohan, driver of the national president; and PD Jithu, the office staff of the association; are the other accused persons in the case.
The Crime Branch conducted a detailed inquiry. Even after a prolonged inquiry by collecting materials and interrogating persons, the officials were not able to detect any culpable act.However, counsel for the vice-president of the association submitted that millions of rupees were collected from nurses and the amount was siphoned off by Sha and three others and a huge amount was transferred to the account of the Sha’s driver.
The court observed that it could not accept the submissions of the petitioners that there were no materials against them. Their contention that the act was validated by the managing committee of the association had to be examined. The by-laws of the society and its constitution are to be looked into to ascertain as to whether the cash collected by the association can be used for the purchase of immovable properties and vehicles for the personal use of petitioners and their family members.
The accused in a serious crime cannot dictate the manner in which the investigation has to be conducted by the police.The court added that the petitioners had the liberty to produce materials proving their innocence, for which they need to cooperate with the probe. The court made it clear that it had not interdicted the investigation in any manner. A detailed statement showing the progress of the probe should be filed by the investigating officer within two weeks.