THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Director Sudesh Kumar has ordered a quick verification probe against MP and Congress state president K Sudhakaran based on a complaint lodged by the latter’s former driver alleging misappropriation of funds mobilised by the party.
The move sparked sharp reactions from top Congress leaders who said it was an act of revenge by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against leaders of opposition parties and a bid to divert public attention from the role of his previous government in the Muttil tree felling controversy.
DGP Sudesh Kumar on Sunday issued the order and entrusted a vigilance team to submit a report on the allegations raised by Sudhakaran’s former driver Prasanth Babu soon.
The preliminary probe will be mainly to check whether there is any veracity in the complaint and further investigation will be carried out based on the findings.
Prasanth Babu, in his complaint, said, “The Congress leader has amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. Sudhakaran had misappropriated funds during the construction of the Kannur District Congress Committee office and from the trust which is in the name of former chief minister late K Karunakaran.”
Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said ordering a vigilance inquiry was an act of revenge by Pinarayi against leaders of opposition political parties.
Speaking to mediapersons at North Paravoor, Satheesan said such actions are being taken to “insult political leaders” as part of the LDF’s propaganda campaign when the role of two ministers in previous government in tree felling has come to light.
He further said, “As per the law, even a preliminary inquiry cannot be made against an MP without the permission of the Lok Sabha speaker. If the government wanted to take up the case, it would have to first seek permission from the Lok Sabha speaker.”
Former Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala also rallied behind Sudhakaran, saying in Haripad that the move is politically motivated. “I am surprised that an internal issue in the Congress is being probed by the vigilance. The vigilance director has no right to issue a directive to the Kozhikode SP to initiate a preliminary probe against Sudhakaran,” said Chennithala.
He also claimed that the CPM is scared of Sudhakaran which explains why the LDF government has decided to slap a vigilance case against him when there is no vigilance angle in the allegations raised by his former driver.