Govt vehicles being misused for personal use of officials, private secretaries of ministers 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An IAS officer, who holds a high position in the Secretariat, requested two cars from KINFRA for his personal use- one for buying fish for home and the second one for travel purposes of his wife and children. His family members travel to beauty parlours, entertainment centres and theatres in these cars with the 'Kerala State' board.

Many of the personal staff members of the ministers are also misusing government vehicles. They use the cars from the public sector institutions of the respective department for the personal needs of their family members. Some people also insist on having an Innova car itself. A car with a red government plate was taken to Kochi from Thiruvananthapuram for the needs of the wife of a top official. The driver of this car was accommodated in the guest house. Six months ago, the special branch had given a report to the government stating that Santhosh, the driver who attacked a woman doctor near the museum compound, was a troublemaker. However, no further action was taken.

The intelligence wing of the state police has reported that the actions of the personnel staff who are roaming in the government vehicles are not very good. The private secretary of a minister would come to the office in the morning, attend urgent meetings and then leave in a government car. He will then go to the leading bars in the city and buy alcohol. . The special branch had reported to the government that another minister's private secretary used to go on vacations to Munnar and Kanyakumari in his official car.

When the accused in the Museum sexual assault case was produced in the court, he had given a statement against the private secretary of the Minister of Water Resources. The court has directed an inquiry into the matter.