THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vigilance special court here on Friday reportedly blamed the government for delay in taking action on reports against ‘corrupt officials’. Referring to the Vigilance reports recommending suspension of additional chief secretary (labour) Tom Jose, the court asked why officers who were found to be involved in corruption to the tune of crores of rupees by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) were allowed to continue in service.
Enquiry commissioner and special judge (Vigi-lance) A. Badarudeen made the remarks while considering a petition alleging that Chief Secretary S.M. Vijayanand was deliberately delaying files on actions against senior officials. The case was posted to February 6 for further hearing. Sources said that the court further stated the Chief Secretary suppressing files against senior officers and allowing them to continue in service would send a wrong message about the government. The court also asked if action will be initiated only after court issues directives.
The VACB produced letters sent to the government recommending suspension of Mr Jose in the wake of registering two cases against him - one pertaining to amassment of wealth disproportionate to known sources of income and another one pertaining to alleged of corruption in magnesium purchase by Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited. The petitioner, activist Paichira Navaz, alleged that even after the Vigilance recommended that Mr Jose's continuation in service may affect the probe into the alleged corruption in KMML, the Chief Secretary suppressed the probe.
