Clean chit comes as parting gift to K M Abraham

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Special Vigilance Court here on Tuesday gave a clean chit to Chief Secretary K.M. Abraham on finding no evidence to substantiate allegations of wealth amassment in a case widely believed to be vindictive. Mr Abraham is due to retire next month. The court accepted the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau report, which said there was no proof to establish a disproportionate assets case against Mr Abraham.  The court rejected the petition filed by Jomon Puthenpurackal challenging the vigilance report, filed in December last.

IAS officers had taken exception to the then Vigilance director, Mr Jacob Thomas’ action in sending cops to measure the plinth area of Mr Abraham’s flat at Millennium Apartments in Poojappura last October when he was away in office. Mr Abraham, who has an unblemished service record, had suspected a conspiracy behind the petition. He was the additional chief secretary (finance) when the Vigilance initiated the probe against him. There were suspicions that Mr. Thomas was vindictive since the finance inspection wing had reported grave lapses by him while he was the Ports director. The Vigilance submitted its enquiry report at the court in December last year rejecting the allegations and hence there was no scope for registering a case or conducting further investigation, the order said.