Plea in CM’s relief fund case rejected; not surprised by verdict, says complainant

KOCHI: A relief to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the relief fund diversion case. The Lokayukta pronounced that the chief minister has the authority to disburse the money and no irregularities were conducted by the chief minister and the ministers. The verdict said that there is no proof for corruption. The plea of the petitioner that the Upalokayuktas should not pronounce the judgment has also been rejected.

The verdict was pronounced by the Lokayukta Full Bench. Petitioner R S Sasikumar responded that he is not surprised by the verdict. He said that he has lost faith in the Lokayukta and will approach the high court. He alleged that the Lokayukta has been influenced.

The case was sent to the full bench when the Lokayukta Division Bench gave a dissenting verdict on March 31. The plea was filed against the chief minister and 18 ministers of the first Pinarayi Cabinet in 2018. The plea alleged that money was paid to politicians in violation of norms from the chief minister's relief fund. In 2019, a three-member bench of the Lokayukta after detailed arguments verified the validity of the complaint and ordered a detailed investigation.

The government had sanctioned Rs 25 lakhs to the family of NCP leader Uzhavoor Vijayan, Rs 8.5 lakhs to the family of former Chengannur MLA K K Ramachandran Nair and Rs 20 lakhs to the family of a police officer who died in a car accident accompanying CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. The case alleged that the procedures for sanctioning this amount are corrupt and nepotistic.