KOCHI: The Ernakulam unit of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has booked a senior clerk of the Malayattoor forest division for allegedly diverting Rs 25 lakh from the department’s official bank account. A corruption case was registered against senior clerk Rajanish Thamban.
As per the FIR, the case was registered based on the complaint by divisional forest officer Narendra Babu S. The fund diversion took place between March 2018 and July 2020, the FIR noted. “The accused person ... diverted funds to the tune of Rs 25.14 lakh from DFO Malayatoor’s account with SBI Perumbavoor branch and the BIMSS account of Malayatoor DFO’s with the government treasury,” stated in the FIR. It said Rajanish moved the money to his accounts in various banks.
A vigilance official said the forest department detected the fund diversion and initiated disciplinary action. “The department had conducted a preliminary investigation before referring it to us. As part of our investigation, we are collecting the accused’s bank account details. It seems he had maintained several bank accounts. We are also checking whether he diverted money to his relatives’ bank accounts. We will interrogate Rajanish as part of the probe,” an official said.
Based on the investigation, vigilance will also recommend its special cell to register a separate case against Rajanish for amassment of wealth disproportionate to the known source of income. “The wealth amassment case will follow when we get more information about his assets. The investigation is in a crucial stage now,” the official said.