KOZHIKODE: The Lok Ayuktha today registered a case against social welfare and panchayats minister M.K. Muneer for illegally putting pressure on the Panchayat department to regularise Poyilinkal Thazhe Jama Masjid Madrassa cum Shopping Complex and Ullur Mahel Madrassa cum Shopping Complex at Ulliyeri Panchayat which was constructed flouting Kerala municipal building rules.
The court found prima facie evidence against the minister, secretary and deputy secretary of the local self governance department in an inquiry report submitted by Kannur Range DIG Dinendra Kashyap. DC had exposed the report of the DIG against the Minister and his department heads.
Lok Ayukta judges Pious Kuriakose and K.K. Dineshan filed the case against the minister after considering the report filed by the DIG, who had earlier been directed by the court to conduct an inquiry based on a complaint lodged before him by social worker Ravi Ulliyeri.
“When the Ulliyeri panchayat turned down the application of these buildings highlighting rule violations and the panchayat secretary demanded that the committee demolish the illegal construction, the Madrassa Committee met the social welfare minister and influenced him to get an order in their favour. The secretary of the local self governance department then issued an order to the panchayat to consider this as a special case and to provide numbers to the building,” Ravi Ulliyeri who exposed the irregularities told Deccan Chronicle.
Public Prosecutor and government pleader P. Sugathan who was approached by the panchayat for a legal opinion, instructed the panchayat officials to obey the instruction of the minister and to provide numbers to the illegally constructed building. He had told this to the DIG while recording his statement and said that he had not considered the points of law when he gave his opinion to the panchayat officials.
P. Sugathan is the fifth accused in the case registered by the Lok Ayukta. When the DIG questioned the panchayat officials they had told him that the numbers to the buildings were issued on the basis of an order issued by the social welfare and panchayat minister.
Panchayat deputy secretary P. Madhu, who had refused to regularise the buildings, finally had to give in because of the pressure on him from the ministry, the DIG’s report had said.
