KOCHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against Kerala Chief Minister’s Chief Principal Secretary, KM Abraham, for allegedly amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. The FIR will soon be filed at the CBI Court in Thiruvananthapuram.
The probe was taken over by the CBI following directions from the Kerala High Court, based on a petition filed by activist Jomon Puthenpurackal. The FIR cites charges of misconduct and accumulation of disproportionate assets under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
A Deputy Superintendent-ranked officer from the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Unit in Kochi has been assigned to investigate the case. Abraham’s statement will be recorded as part of the inquiry.
Jomon had alleged at the High Court that, Abraham allegedly owns an apartment in Mumbai worth Rs three crore, another flat in Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram valued at around Rs one crore, and a three-storied shopping complex in Kollam worth Rs eight crore. Jomon claims that the EMI for the Mumbai property alone is Rs 84,000, while Abraham’s official salary is Rs 80,000 per month. Jomon further alleged that Abraham failed to disclose the source of funds for the loans on the Thycaud apartment and the construction of the Kollam complex.
Earlier, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) had given a clean chit to Abraham, stating that the Thiruvananthapuram apartment was worth only Rs 13.56 lakh and the Mumbai flat valued at Rs 99.75 lakh. It also concluded that the shopping complex in Kollam was inherited by Abraham’s two brothers and no personal funds were involved in its construction.
However, the Kerala High Court, after examining the VACB's preliminary inquiry report, concluded that Abraham possessed both movable and immovable properties with substantial value, disproportionate to his known income. Given Abraham’s high-profile position, the court expressed a lack of confidence in the VACB investigation and ordered a CBI probe.