Thomas Chandy land grab case: Vigilance in soup over change of team

Thiruvananthapuram: The decision of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to change the investigation team to probe  the allegations against former minister Thomas Chandy has triggered a row. However, Vigilance sources maintain that it was not an unusual practice. While a team led by Vigilance eastern-range SP M. Johnson Joseph in Kottayam conducted  the preliminary inquiry and recommended that a case should be registered against Mr. Chandy and others, the detailed investigation has been entrusted with the Special Investigation Unit - I SP K.E. Baiju.

Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau sources said that in many other sensational cases also, the preliminary investigation and detailed investigation were entrusted with separate teams.  The bar bribery case against former minister K.M. Mani was an instance. The preliminary inquiry was then conducted by VACB southern-range headed by SP M. Rajmohan.  But the detailed investigation was entrusted with Special Investigation Unit-I. “It  is always better that the preliminary inquiry and the detailed investigation are  carried out by different teams as it would also ensure a level of scrutiny,” said a Vigilance official.

SP Mr. Johnson Joseph, who conducted the preliminary inquiry, had recommended that a case should be registered against Mr Thomas Chandy and about 25 other officers. Based on this, Vigilance director Loknath Behera informed the Kottayam Vigilance court that a case would be registered against him.