Thiruvananthapuram: The Thiruvananthapuram Special Vigilance Court on Saturday ordered a Vigilance probe against the alleged irregularities in the Karunya Benevolent Fund scheme. The directive for conducting a preliminary investigation against former chief minister Oommen Chandy, former finance minister K.M. Mani and additional chief secretary K.M. Abraham was issued by the court while considering a petition filed by a Malappuram native alleging anomalies in the healthcare scheme.
The petitioner had sought an inquiry into the complaints of criminal conspiracy, corruption and cheating related to the scheme. The petitioner alleged that though the government earned huge profits with the Karunya lottery, the benefits have not been passed on to the deserving. The fund provides financial aid for poor people suffering from serious ailments like cancer, haemophilia, kidney and heart diseases and for palliative care by raising money through the Kerala lottery.
