THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Lok Ayukta controversy that rocked the state, after the government sent an ordinance clipping the wings of the anti-corruption body for the governor’s nod, took a new turn on Sunday with former minister K T Jaleel levelling allegations against the head of the agency, triggering criticism from the Opposition.
Jaleel who had to step down from the first Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet after a Lok Ayukta verdict alleged that the current Lok Ayukta, when he was a High Court judge, had helped a prominent UDF leader in a controversial case as quid pro quo for a plum post for his brother’s wife. He made the allegations in a Facebook post, without taking names.
He uploaded a copy of the ruling by a High Court division bench — in which Justice Cyriac Joseph was a member — closing any further probe in the ice cream parlour case that had IUML leader P K Kunhalikkutty as a key accused. He also shared a document of Cyriac’s sister-in-law Jancy James’ appointment as vice-chancellor of MG University claiming a link with the case. However, nowhere in the FB post has Jaleel mentioned the name of Cyriac Joseph.The Opposition was quick to point out that Cyriac Joseph was appointed as Lok Ayukta in 2019 when Pinarayi Vijayan was the CM.
Reacting sharply to Jaleel’s allegation, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan termed it as an open challenge to the judiciary by the ruling dispensation. He said it’s a warning to the anti-corruption agency just ahead 0f taking up the case against the chief minister. “Jaleel has to understand that Cyriac Joseph was appointed by none other than his godfather Pinarayi Vijayan. When he is questioning the appointment made by the chief minister, he is in fact disowning Pinarayi,” Satheesan said in a statement.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala who, as the then leader of Opposition was in the panel that selected Cyriac for the post of Lok Ayukta, said he did not object to the appointment of Cyriac as he has a proven track record in higher courts in the country. “It is interesting to note that Jaleel did not raise these allegations when he had stepped down. It is quite clear now why he has come up with such an allegation at this juncture. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan should explain this,” he told reporters in Alappuzha.