ED submits charge sheet against former minister K Babu in disproportionate assets case

KOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against former minister and MLA K Babu in a disproportionate assets case. The chargesheet was filed in a court in Kochi. He was investigated by the vigilance in connection with a bar bribe during Oommen Chandy’s cabinet. The action is in a disproportionate assets case related to this. K Babu's assets worth Rs 25.82 lakhs had earlier been confiscated.

The ED also initiated legal action following the Vigilance case that K Babu had amassed assets worth Rs 25.82 lakh in excess of his income between July 2007 and January 2016. The Vigilance registered an FIR against Babu on August 31, 2016 and started an investigation. The ED alleged that Babu had acquired the illegally obtained money in the form of immovable and movable properties and made it part of his assets.

The ED recorded the statement of former minister Babu on January 22, 2020 in the case. The FIR filed by the vigilance stated that he had amassed illegal assets worth Rs 100 crore. When the chargesheet was filed in the court, it was reduced to Rs 25 lakh. Babu had also informed the ED that the vigilance had not considered the Rs 40 lakh he had received from the government on several occasions as a public representative. However, the ED was about to take action to confiscate assets equal to Rs 25.82 lakh found by the vigilance.