Kochi: The probe into the Palarivattom flyover scandal reached a crucial phase on Thursday with the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) set to implicate former PWD minister Ibrahim Kunju as an accused in the case.
It may take further action after perusing the documents to pinpoint his role in the decision-making process connected with the project, sources said. Mohammad Hanish, former managing director of Roads and Bridges Development Corporation Kerala (RBDCK), and currently MD of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL), is likely to be questioned further by the VACB. The needle of suspicion against Kunju and Hanish was pointed by former PWD secretary T.O. Sooraj who iterated their roles to mediapersons.
Sooraj, arraigned as the fourth accused in the case and under remand for the past few days, said the minister had issued the order to release Rs 8.25 crore as mobilisation advance to RDS Projects, the contractor of the work. He also said Hanish was also privy to the entire development.
The Vigilance director has convened a meeting of the probe officials and a decision on further questioning Kunju and Hanish will be taken in the meeting, sources said.
According to Sooraj, the former minister gave concessions in the contract and released the amount in advance to the contractor while Hanish recommended giving the advance. The probe team will examine mainly the documentary evidence in connection with the orders issued by Kunju and Hanish for the project.
The Muvattupuzha Vigilance judge Kalam Pasha, meanwhile, has extended the remand period of the four accused, including Sooraj, by another 14 days to October 3. The High Court is scheduled to consider the bail petitions of the accused on September 24.
WRONG PROCEDURE: PWD Minister G. Sudhakaran said the PWD did not have any precedence of making mobilisation advances to the contractor. “This is a wrong procedure,” he said and added that Sooraj had done things violating rules. “I had cancelled 24 orders issued by Sooraj after becoming the PWD minister,” he said. The Vigilance probe will proceed according to the law, he said and alleged that the flyover corruption was the result of a widespread conspiracy.
