KOLLAM: The revenue department stated that Kollam district collector Dr S Karthikeyan showed unnecessary haste in the action of accepting tax from Priya and Riya estates. In this situation, vigilance special cell of the capital city will conduct a probe. The revenue department had earlier sought an emergency report from the collector following a complaint of accepting tax from Priya and Riya estates contrary to government's stand. When this report was considered, the government was convinced that the collector showed unnecessary haste in the issue.

The tax was accepted from Priya and Riya estates on January 5th and February 10.

Thenmala village officer accepted tax for 83.32 hectares of land controlled by Riya Estate in Thenmala, Kollam.

Though the Kerala High court had ordered to accept land tax of Riya Estate last September, the state government had not clarified their stand in it. The revenue minister was of the stand that tax should be accepted only through certain conditions. The revenue minister sought a report from district collector on the action of accepting tax from Riya Estate. On February 9, the authorities of Priya Estate gave an application to the collector requesting to collect tax. Accepting the application, the next day the collector directed them to pay tax. The village officer collected tax with the note of the tahsildar.