KOCHI: Higher Education and Minority Welfare Minister KT Jaleel on Monday approached the High Court seeking to quash the Loksyukta’s order finding him guilty of nepotism and abuse of power with regard to the appointment of his second cousin K T Adeeb as general manager of Kerala State Minorities Development Finance Corporation. Lok Ayukta had also said Jaleel should not continue as minister.
Jaleel said the order was passed without conducting any preliminary investigation. He said Lok Ayukta had proceeded to finalise its report based solely on the oral arguments of the parties. It should not have entertained the complaint as the matter related to prescription of qualification and appointment to the corporation had been excluded from the purview of the investigation under the Lok Ayukta Act.
His petition said the Lok Ayukta findings were perverse and that it had not followed any procedure mandated under law. Jaleel said the same issue was taken up before the governor, but he rejected it and did not initiate any action. The governor had concluded that no corruption or nepotism was involved in amending the rules or appointment of Adeeb. This aspect was ignored by the Lok Ayukta, he said.
The corporation is a private limited firm, though owned by the state, Jaleel said. The appointments were made by its board of directors of which he is not a member. There was no rule or law which prohibits a relative of a minister from being appointed to any post or under the government. Even if there was any illegality with the appointment, it cannot be inquired into by the Lok Ayukta since Adeeb is not a public servant, he said.