Posting row: Lok Ayukta directive to continue probe

The row over the appointment of managing director at the Kerala State Warehousing Corporation - in which Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan is facing allegations - has taken a fresh turn with the Lok Ayukta ordering that the investigation should go on even though the state government had scrapped the appointment.

Lok Ayukta Justice M M Pareed Pillai and Justice K K Dineshan issued the order last month.

The matter came up before the Lok Ayukta after Adv N Viswambharan of Balaramapuram complained that the Agriculture Minister and Agriculture Secretary (PU), the first and second respondents respectively, had ‘’hatched a criminal conspiracy’’ in July 2011 and indulged in corruption and maladministration in appointing A Rajendra Panicker as managing director of Kerala State Warehousing Corporation.

Viswambharan sought a detailed investigation by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau into the matter. The respondents contended that the appointment had since been cancelled, and so the case need not be pursued further. But the Lok Ayukta stood by Viswambharan’s argument that such a stand would amount to “travesty of justice.’’

Corruption charges

Viswambharan had also alleged that Rajendra Panicker had indulged in corruption while holding office in the Warehousing Corporation.

The Lok Ayukta noted that this was a case which required thorough investigation and at this stage it was not possible to hold that the complaint is not maintainable.

“Merits or demerits of the allegations can only be found out through proper investigation into the entire matter,’’ the Lok Ayukta noted, adding that the complaint is maintainable and cannot be dismissed at the threshold.

Advocates Cherunniyoor P Sasidharan Nair, K Rajagopalan Nair and N Janardhanan Pillai appeared for the complainant.