'No mental problem while looting government's money?': Accused in Lottery Welfare Fund Board irregularities does not have mental illness, report

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first accused, LD Clerk K Sangeeth, who is remanded in the case of embezzling Rs 14 crore from the Lottery Agents and Sellers Welfare Fund Board, does not have a mental problem. This is according to the doctor's report from the Peroorkada Mental Health Centre. Since the defendant did not accept this report, the court ordered the formation of a special medical board to examine his mental condition. The case was considered by Special Vigilance Court Judge A Manoj.

The Vigilance had filed an application to take the first accused Sangeeth and the second accused contractor Anil Kumar into custody. The lawyer informed the court that the first accused had a mental problem when the investigation team reached the Vigilance Court. "He did not have a mental problem when he looted the government's money? Are you making such claims when the police caught him?" the court asked the defendant. The court sought a medical report when the defense informed that the police could not take the mentally challenged accused into custody and question him.

Vigilance found that the accused embezzled Rs 14 crore by misusing the cash book, office expense register, and check books and by forging documents. They transferred money from the board's account to their own account and Anil Kumar's account by changing the amount in the checks, using the signatures of their superiors, and tampering with the registers. They used this money to purchase a large amount of land. They also invested this money in the real estate business. It has also been found that a house was built. Anil, who is an intermediary, started a construction company with this money. The accused also made fixed deposits in the bank. It was also found that 45 land registrations were made in the Kazhakoottam Sub-Registrar's office alone with the embezzled money.