V Muraleedharan deposes in E P Jayarajan case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former BJP state president V. Muraleedharan has asked the Vigilance to register a case against former industries minister E.P. Jayarajan because he had admitted that his relatives who lacked adequate qualifications were appointed in key posts. Mr Muraleedharan was deposing before  Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance DySP Shyam Kumar here on Tuesday.

Mr Muraleedharan later told reporters that an FIR  should be registered against Mr Jayarajan for appointing  his wife’s nephew P. K. Sudheer as managing director of Kerala State Industrial Enterprises  without adequate qualifications. He alleged that Mr Jayarajan had breached the law because managing directors of PSUs are appointed by the Public Sector Restructuring and Internal Audit Board (RIAB).

“Sudheer did not have the requisite 15 years’ experience. When Jayarajan posted in his Facebook cancelling Sudheer’s appointment,  he said  that Sudheer lacked the requisite experience. So the Vigilance should  register an FIR against him,”  said Mr Muraleedharan.

He also demanded that since Sudheer’s appointment was  against the 1988 prevention of corruption Act's 13 (1) (D), a case should be registered against  Mr Jayarajan. As per section 15,  Mr Jayarajan can be  imprisoned for  three years and also fined. On Monday, BJP general secretary K. Surendran had deposed before the Vigilance official alleging that Mr Jayarajan had taken a bribe of Rs 30 lakh for  appointments.