THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Malappuram resident who made allegations of job fraud against the office of Health Minister Veena George appeared before the Cantonment police on Monday in response to a police summons. Haridas Kummali, who had previously raised questions about the office staff of the Health Minister, reaffirmed his claim that he had paid cash in exchange for his daughter-in-law’s appointment as a home medical officer.
According to sources, Haridas informed investigators that he had given Rs 1 lakh to an individual whom he could not accurately identify. He reportedly mentioned to the police that he suspected the person who received the money might have been introduced to him by another Malappuram resident and former AIYF (All India Youth Federation) leader, Abdul Basith.
While the police had summoned Abdul Basith for questioning on Monday, he did not appear for the interrogation. The police have yet to fully clarify the details of the case. Two of the accused, Akhil Sajeev (former office secretary of the CITU district committee in Pathanamthitta) and Kozhikode-based lawyer M K Raees have been arrested in connection with the case.
Akhil Sajeev was apprehended by the Pathanamthitta police in Tamil Nadu on Friday. The Cantonment police initiated a case after Akhil Mathew, a personal staff member of Veena George, lodged a complaint, asserting that the allegations of job fraud against him were baseless. Haridas had made shocking allegations, claiming that the minister’s personal staff had accepted Rs. 1.75 lakh from him with the promise of securing his daughter-in-law a position as a homeo medical officer in the Ayush Mission.