KOCHI: Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) probing Palarivattom flyover corruption case on Monday informed the Kerala High Court that former PWD secretary and fourth accused T O Sooraj had purchased 17 cents of land on October 1, 2014, for Rs 1.4 crore for his son subsequent to the release of Rs 8.25 crore as mobilisation advance without any interest to the contracting company-RDS Project Ltd.
The actual money paid in connection with the land transaction was Rs 3.30 crore. Sooraj had handed over an amount of Rs 80 lakh in cash on May 22, 2014, Rs 20 lakh on August 4 and Rs 25 lakh on September 29, 2014, as advance in connection with the purchase of land. In addition to this, cheques of Rs 1.4 crore and Rs 1.1 crore of HDFC Bank were also given. The illegalities committed by him in connection with the construction of Palarivattom flyover and the payments of the large sum of unaccounted money were suspicious, and nefarious money transactions were done by Sooraj during 2014, submitted the VACB.
V Syamkumar, DySP, VACB, submitted the statement in response to a petition filed by Sooraj seeking to quash the FIR against him. The VACB submitted that the petitioner played a vital role in the entire scheme of things and thereby abused his official position and indulged in various corrupt activities causing financial loss to the government. He was responsible for disbursal of government money available with the Kerala Road Fund Board. Sooraj also violated the rules of business by issuing administrative sanction for an amount of Rs 72.6 crore for the flyover work.