‘No faith in vigilance investigation, only an investigation through court intervention will be transparent'; Mathew Kuzhalnadan reacts to changing stand on monthly pay off controversy

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Mathew Kuzhalnadan MLA said that he has not changed his stand on the monthly pay off controversy. He said that he has no faith in the vigilance investigation and only an investigation through court intervention will be transparent. He said that is why he took such a stand.

Kuzhalnadan's new demand is that the court should directly file a case against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter Veena Vijayan in the case. He had earlier demanded to order a vigilance probe. Kuzhalnadan changed his stand when the order in it was to be pronounced. The court asked Kuzhalnadan to stick to one of it. The verdict will be pronounced on April 12.

The vigilance lawyer told the court that Mathew's change of stance was politically motivated. The main allegation in the plea is that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter Veena Vijayan received a monthly payment as a reward for granting permission to the CMRL company for mineral sand mining. Mathew Kuzhalnadan filed a plea in the Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance Court against seven people, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter Veena Vijayan.

CMRL MD Sasidharan Kartha bought land for mineral sand mining in Thrikunnapuzha and Aarattupuzha but mining permission was not obtained as it was against the state order of 2004 and central rules. Veena entered into an agreement with CMRL after Kartha's efforts to obtain concession for the said land under the Kerala Land Transfer Act failed. The petitioner alleged that after this the chief minister directly intervened and directed the revenue department to re-examine Kartha's application.

The government opposed the plea arguing that the allegations did not fall under the purview of the Vigilance Act. The government argued in the court that the vigilance court could not reexamine the order of the income tax settlement board and that the pleas of a similar nature had already been settled.