Thomas Chandy moves Kerala High Court against Collector’s report

KOCHI: Transport Minister Thomas Chandy on Thursday approached the Kerala High Court seeking a directive to the state government to keep in abeyance all further proceedings based on the report of the Alappuzha District Collector on the alleged encroachment on government land and backwaters by the resort owned by him in Alappuzha.According to Chandy, the allegations were levelled with malicious political intentions to target him.

The report against him was prepared after AA an ‘unfair’ inquiry by the District Collector, fully discarding the principles of natural justice. The Collector conducted the inquiry following the intervention of the office of the Revenue Minister. The Collector had not even verified the revenue records before making a statement in the report against Chandy.

He said the Collector’s findings  were in contravention to the earlier findings of her predecessor who had settled the same issues through a proceeding in November 2014. The Collector misused her administrative discretion.The petitioner’s name was dragged unnecessarily presumably owing to the conspiracy between those interested quarters and the Collector. The Minister said he had no connection whatsoever with the properties which were allegedly reclaimed on the side of the Veliyakulam - Zero Jetty Road.

CPI state executive today
CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran said it’s for Thomas Chandy to look into the ethical aspects regarding the allegations raised against him. The CPI state executive on Friday will discuss 
the issue.

Kodiyeri Balakrishnan hints at action
T’Puram:In a clear indication that the Left will not wait for long to take a call on Thomas Chandy, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan indicated that a decision would be taken once the government gets the Advocate General’s advice. The LDF may not wait for the preliminary inquiry against Chandy to be over to take its decision.

“Thomas Chandy is currently under legal scrutiny. Once it is over necessary action will be taken. The LDF wants to ensure natural justice to all, irrespective of whether it is Oommen Chandy or Thomas Chandy,” he added. Responding to questions, Kodiyeri said, in the case of E P Jayarajan the latter decided to quit. There were no cases against Jayarajan when he decided to quit, he said. Meanwhile the CPM state secretariat and the state committee, to be held from Friday, is expected to look into the allegations against Thomas Chandy.