THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has sought the nod of the state government to probe the corruption allegation levelled against M Sivasankar, former principal secretary to chief minister.
Vigilance Director Anil Kant has written to the government in this regard, on the basis of a complaint filed by an Ernakulam native seeking a probe into the appointment of Swapna Suresh in the IT Department and the selection procedure of consultancies in various projects.
Swapna is an accused in the gold smuggling case and her appointment in the Space Park that comes under the IT Department was reportedly done out of the way as she lacked necessary qualifications. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala had also lodged a complaint with the Vigilance seeking a probe against Sivasankar. As per the rules, if a senior bureaucrat has to be probed in a corruption case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the investigating agency should seek the prior approval from the state government.
With the Vigilance seeking government nod, all eyes will now on be the chief minister, who handles the Home Department. If the government denies Vigilance permission to probe the case, it might ignite a political slugfest. The Vigilance, sources said, will register a case against the senior official only if there is prima facie evidence against him.
Vigilance sources said by seeking the government nod they are just following the rules and there is nothing extraordinary about the move.