Kochi: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau on Tuesday framed charges against former minister K. Babu in the disproportionate assets case in the Muvattupuzha vigilance court. The VACB Kochi special cell, however, gave a clean chit to two others whom they had earlier claimed to be benamis of the Congress leader. As per the chargesheet, the former excise minister was found to have amassed disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 25 lakh.
“During the probe, we had checked the wealth amassed by Mr Babu from 2007 to 2016. The income was found to be around Rs 50 lakh while the expenditure was more than Rs 75 lakh. A DA of 49.5 percent exceeding the source of income was found against him,” an officer said. However, the VACB failed to find any evidence of him purchasing properties, and the charges in this regard were ruled out in the chargesheet.
Mr Babu was mainly accused of spending a huge amount on the renovation of his house in Tripunithura and also for the marriage of his two daughters during this period. However, no evidence was found to prove co-accused Babu Ram of Kumbalam and Mohanan of Tripunithura as his benamis. Mr Babu and the other two were booked in September 2016 following charges that he amassed assets disproportionate to the known sources of his income while serving as an MLA and minister in the 2007-16 period. Special cell inspector T.U. Sajeevan probed the case under the supervision of Vigilance SP V.N. Sasidharan.
