KOCHI: The controversy, which erupted in the wake of Thrikkakara municipal chairperson Ajitha Thankappan reportedly gifting money to a few councillors on the occasion of Onam, continues to rage, with some of the councillors admitting before the district Congress committee (DCC) -appointed panel that the chairperson had a role in the episode.
Though a majority of councillors rallied to the defence of the chairperson, a few Congress councillors gave statements before the committee that the chairperson had given them each Rs 10,000. “A few councillors agreed the chairperson handed over Rs 10,000 in cash to councillors. But they didn’t witness it and didn’t have any proof to back the allegations,” a UDF source told TNIE. The allegation is the cash distributed by the chairperson was bribe money.
Municipal chairperson Ajitha was first summoned before the committee headed by DCC vice-president Muhammad Shias and secretary K X Xavier. Standing committee chairpersons Noushad Pallachi, Rashid Ullampilly, Somi Reji, Smitha Sunny, Suneera Firoz, and former chairperson Shaji Vazhakkala also appeared before the committee on Tuesday. The committee will record statements of other councillors on Wednesday.
The controversy erupted last week when some Opposition councillors claimed that they were given Rs 10,000 cash in an envelope along with Onakodi. They also claimed they returned the gift to the chairperson. Congress councillor V D Suresh also revealed the chairperson handed over the money to the councillors. “This is a conspiracy hatched by the Opposition. They are trying to level baseless allegations, “ said Ajitha.
Meanwhile, the Thrikkakara municipality witnessed an uproar on Tuesday when the LDF staged a protest against the alleged attempt by the ruling front to destroy the CCTV footage of the municipality. “We have already approached the Vigilance and the police for probing the matter,” said an LDF councillor.