Thiruvananthapuram: Raising many an eyebrow, an order posting Public Sector Restructuring and Internal Audit Board (RIAB) former secretary K. Padmakumar as managing director of Kerala State Rural Women's Electronic Industrial Cooperative Federation (RUTRONIX) has been cancelled hardly after four days.Interestingly, both industries minister A. C. Moideen and industries principal secretary K. Elangovan told DC that they were unaware of cancelling it. Mr Padmakumar was given posting following a High Court directive.The order appointing him was issued by industries (H) department joint secretary Vijayakumar R. on July 30.
A single line order cancelling the appointment was issued on August 3 by the same officer, citing no reason. According to sources familiar with the developments, an influential lobby was working against Mr Padmakumar as he had played a key role in exposing various irregularities at the state-run Malabar Cements in which controversial businessman V. M. Radhakrishnan alias Chakku Radhakrishnan was involved. Mr Radhakrishnan was allegedly having close connections with CPM leaders. Mr Padmakumar's arrest by the Vigilance in 2016 in connection with irregularities in Malabar Cements and his subsequent suspension had raised many eyebrows.
