Thiruvananthapuram: The intervention of K. C. Venugopal in the medical college scam will be a setback to the state BJP leadership. Following the Alappuzha lawmaker's complaint, the Union government asked the principal home secretary, to hand over the scam probe report. A top BJP leader told DC that the proposed investigation by central agencies would bring more clarity. Mr Venugopal had raised in the Lok Sabha last month the corruption and bribery charges against state BJP leaders to the tune of Rs 5.50 crore for renewing a medical college approval.
The letter of Union undersecretary Mani Ram to the state principal secretary says, the action taken report should be sent to the secretary, Union health ministry, joint director of enforcement (administration), Amar Dev, section officer attached to ministry of parliamentary affairs, undersecretary (parliament), section officer, ministry of home affairs, and private secretary to Mr Venugopal. “Now whatever investigation had the state vigilance department carried out on the scam, a report has to be sent to the appropriate offices,” said Venugopal’s office.
Vigilance department’s Special Investigation II unit headed by K. Jayakumar had decided to close the probe on Sept 11 after R. Shaji, chairman of S. R. Medical College and Research Centre, failed to share the documents relating to the havala transactions even after repeated requests, giving a huge relief to the BJP leaders. They believed the case would not stand without complainants. But Mr Venugopal and his party colleagues think otherwise. They feel central BJP leadership will now act against them.
