Cashew Corporation corruption case; Chief Minister directs Khadi Board secretary K.A. Ratheesh to resign

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K.A. Ratheesh, former Managing Director of the Kerala Cashew Development Corporation and the first accused in the multi-crore cashew corruption case, has stepped down as Secretary of the Kerala Khadi Board. According to reports, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan directed Ratheesh to resign from the post.

The development comes days after the Kerala High Court expressed strong dissatisfaction over Ratheesh continuing as Khadi Board Secretary despite facing prosecution in the corruption case. The court sought a report from the government and also directed that notice be issued to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Ratheesh had also been serving as Managing Director of Rutronix and Chief Executive Officer of the Khadi Workers Welfare Fund Board.

Meanwhile, the CBI has moved the court to invoke provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act against the accused in the Kerala Cashew Development Corporation corruption case. Along with conspiracy charges, the agency has sought to add offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act against first accused K.A. Ratheesh and third accused R. Chandrasekharan by filing a report before the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court in Thiruvananthapuram.

The move follows the state government's sanction to prosecute the accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act. In view of the addition of the Act's provisions, the CBI has also sought the transfer of the case to the Special CBI Court in Kochi. The investigating officer informed the High Court of the development.