Kochi: Kerala High Court on Friday quashed the vigilance case registered against former civil supplies minister Anoop Jacob for suspending an action ordered by the department against a ration retailer at Peringassery in Idukki in connection with alleged irregularities. The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau had registered the case on the order of the Muvattupuzha vigilance court on a complaint of V.O. Augusty of Moolamattam under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Thodupuzha taluk supply officer T.S. Saseendra Babu and owner of the ration shop at Peringassery P. Said Muhammed were the other accused.
The district supply officer had issued an order suspending the license of Mr Muhammed after finding irregularities in the shop in a raid and to merge the ration shop with a nearby depot. The Vigilance had forwarded the report to the civil supplies department for suspension of licenses and including him in the black list.
However, Mr Jacob directed the department to keep the order in abeyance without verifying the matter when he received a petition seeking its cancellation, according to the VACB. The vigilance court had found that the surprise check was conducted on a state-wide basis and that it cannot be said that the minister was not aware of it. It had also said the minister did not care to verify the file relating to the subject available in his office and stayed all actions to favour Mr Muhammed.
