KOCHI: Former excise minister K. Babu has termed the Vigilance raids in his house and that of his relatives as political vendetta by the state government and Mr Jacob Thomas, director of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau. In a point-by-point rebuttal of the Vigilance charges, he said he will seek legal remedy against the VACB action. Stating that he was responding to the charges in the First Information Report (FIR) based on media reports, he said he had not yet received a copy of the FIR.
On the charges that he owns 120 acres of land in Theni in Tamil Nadu, Mr Babu said the family members of his daughter’s husband, who had land there, had disposed it of before the marriage. “The land was bought in 2008 and sold in 2011. The marriage of my daughter took place in 2012,” he said. “So how can they (Vigilance) say the land belongs to me,” he asked. “I had denied the charges connected with the land when it was first raised by bar hotel owner Biju Ramesh,” he pointed out.
Mr. Babu said the family of his daughter’s husband had bought a Mercedes car worth Rs 45 lakh after taking a loan from a private bank. “The documents for the same can be collected from me or them,” he added. On recovering Rs 1.5 lakh from his residence, he said it was not a big amount and that it had proper accounts.
Mr. Babu also denied having benami deals in the name of two persons identified as Mohankumar and Babu Ram. “Mohankumar is a bakery owner in Tripunithura and I inaugurated the Royal Bakery when it was set up. Apart from that, I don’t have any other business transaction with him,” he said. The same is the case with Babu Ram, described as a Youth Congress worker. He also denied any connection with the hospital chain promoted by Renai Medi City.
“I have denied all these charges on various occasions and am ready to submit the necessary documents to prove my version,” he said. “The records of my property, income and wealth are filed during the income tax return. The same is submitted before the Election Commission during the filing of nomination papers,” Mr. Babu said. “If I have any assets other than those submitted before the EC and the I-T department, the government is welcome to confiscate the same”, he said.
VACB implementing govt policy, says Jacob Thomas
Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau (VACB) director Jacob Thomas on Saturday justified the raids carried out on the premises of former Excise Minister K Babu. He said the VACB was only implementing the LDF Government’s policy against corruption. When asked whether the raids were a beginning of big drive against corruption and move to unearth wealth disproportionate to the known sources of income, the VACB director said; “I don’t want to comment on the ongoing investigations. The government’s policy is to bring an end to corruption. I am only implementing the government’s policy.”
To a question whether the vigilance had got any prima facie evidence to show that the former minister had amassed disproportionate wealth, the vigilance director said; “Vigilance is probing many cases. The process of investigation is continuing.” Have you got any evidence to carry out further investigations into the matter? “Vigilance is conducting the probe according to CrPC. It is being carried out as per well-laid procedures in an efficient and truthful manner by vigilance officers. There are more accused in the case.
“All these issues are before the investigations. The probe will be carried out effectively. Who all will be made accused is a matter to be decided during the probe,” he said. Thomas said as per Supreme Court judgement, in the event of getting prima facie evidence during preliminary investigations, vigilance cases can be registered as per law. “Vigilance is carrying out its job well,” he said.
