KOCHI: The Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court on Wednesday acquitted two former employees of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) and a contractor in the case related to irregularities in laying water supply pipes.
Former assistant executive engineer C L Mary and former assistant engineer P K Stenslavos of KWA, besides contractor Viswanathan of Aluva were found not guilty by the court.
The prosecution had maintained the respondents entered into a criminal conspiracy to misappropriate government funds and fabricated false records. It accused the two officials of preparing a bill of Rs 18.57 lakh in favour of the contractor and attempting to encash it by presenting it to the executive engineer’s office.
Corruption was alleged in the laying of water supply pipes under the DFID-UAPD project in the water authority subdivision in Karuvelipady, West Kochi. Owing to the controversy, the executive engineer did not pass the bill and the work was stopped abruptly.