THIRUVANANATHAPURAML: In a major setback to the CPM, the Vigilance on Friday registered an FIR against former Industries Minister E P Jayarajan, naming him the first accused in a nepotism case. Apart from him, P K Sudheer, Jayarajan's nephew and son of CPM MP from Kannur P K Sreemathi has been named the second accused in the case. As the top leadership of the CPM is meeting in the state Capital, the FIR against its Central Committee member, who was once number two in the Cabinet, is
a major embarrassment for the party state leadership.
The Vigilance registered the FIR following a quick verification. Industries Additional Chief Secretary Paul Antony has been named the third accused in the case related to the appointment of Sudheer as Managing Director of Kerala State Industrial Enterprises Ltd. In the FIR, the Vigilance said that Jayarajan abused his official position and conspired with Sudheer and Paul Antony.
It also said that the appointment was made without any public interest and Jayarajan had committed offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. It also said that Jayarajan, on September 30, 2016,
issued an order to appoint Sudheer as Director and Managing Director of KSIE Ltd with immediate effect without obtaining clearance from the Directorate of Vigilance. The investigating agency also mentioned that persons in the select list submitted by the interview board were also ignored while appointing him as the MD.
On the basis of the order, a government order was issued on October 1, 2016, without public interest and with the knowledge of Paul Antony, ignoring the select list prepared by him as chairman of the interview board, the FIR said. Moreover, it said that Jayarajan neither specified any reason for not appointing the
candidates proposed by RIAB nor mentioned any thing regarding the reason for appointing Sudheer as MD. Later the above GO was cancelled without specifying any reason. Jayarajan was forced to resign from his post in October after nepotism issue became a controversy within six months of LDF coming to power.
