KOCHI: Former Kerala public works minister V K Ebrahim Kunju, who was arrested in connection with the Palarivattom flyover scam, was remanded for 14 days by the Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court Judge Jobin Sebastian, here on Wednesday.

The judge came to the private hospital where Kunju is undergoing treatment and remanded him. Owing to health reasons, Kunju will remain at the hospital.

The petition filed by Vigilance Department seeking the custody of Kunju and his petition seeking his bail will be considered by the court tomorrow.

Earlier, Kunju had filed a bail petition in the court stating that the arrest was politically motivated and citing that he was a cancer patient.

It is suspected that Kunju, who was the minister in UDF government, led by Oommen Chandy when the bridge was constructed, intervened to release an amount in advance to the building contract for the flyover work.

Though there were no provisions in the agreement, Rs 8.25 crore was paid as advance to the company with an interest rate of seven per cent. This resulted in a yearly loss of Rs 57 lakh to the government.

Former Public Works Secretary T O Sooraj, KITCO former MD Sumit Goyal, RBDCK Company general manager P D Thankachan were arrested in connection with the case.

Last year Sooraj, the fourth accused in the case, had raised charges against Kunju in the Vigilance Court.

Earlier in the day, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau team arrested Kunju, at a hospital here where he was admitted, in connection with the alleged Palarivattom flyover scam.