THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Sunday alleged mystery over the government’s move to pay the first instalment of the AI camera project to SRIT India Pvt Ltd, the implementing firm, in defiance of the Kerala High Court order.
Expressing surprise at the firm asking for the first instalment even after the HC, in an interim order, instructed against paying the amount to it for the time being, Chennithala said he would apprise the court of the latest developments.
“The government went ahead with implementing the Rs 232-crore project, even after the Opposition highlighted the corruption in the deal and the fact that the project could have been executed for Rs100 crore. Due to this, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan and I moved the HC. The court heard our plea and ordered that the government should not provide funds to SRIT,” Chennithala said.
However, the firm, paying no heed to the order, approached the government directly, which agreed to pay the project cost in instalments, he said. “This shows both parties are working hand in glove. The entire deal is mysterious,” he said.