The vigilance system is in place to catch corruptors and bribe takers. However, the court has accused a Vigilance team of trying to save the accused in the corruption case regarding the purchase of a boat to Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary. In the quick inspection report on the irregularity, the Vigilance had recommended that there was no need for a vigilance investigation against the culprits and that a departmental investigation was sufficient. Vigilance has no authority to make such recommendations. The court has the power to do so. Thus it is clear that the Vigilance used the non-existent power to save the guilty accused.

Shendurney wildlife warden R Lakshmi, SIDCO MD Saji Basheer and businessman Krishnakumar were found guilty by vigilance.

Here, the Vigilance was not a caged bird. Instead, it turned into a bird trying to save the accused who should be in the cage. It was Vigilance's Thiruvananthapuram 1st Special Unit that received criticism. Vigilance court judge G Gopakumar said that the vigilance should not judge that the accused have done nothing wrong before the investigation in the corruption case is completed.

The forest department had decided to buy two boats for 1.25 crore rupees as part of eco-tourism. The decision was to buy from private individuals through SIDCO, a government organization. SIDCO had approved the security deposit of the company, which operated the establishment called Nautical Lines in Pappanamcode Industrial Estate and was acquired by SIDCO in 2018 following the winding up of the establishment in 2017.

Although it was decided to pay the money for the boats in three instalments, the officials paid the entire amount to the private person before getting the boats. Following this, the concerned officer issued a certificate stating that both the boats have been received. However, the sanctuary has received only one boat. The vigilance committed foul play in a case in which there is such clear evidence. The police officers responsible for this should not be allowed to remain in service any longer.