THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Revenue Minister K Rajan has ordered the Revenue Vigilance to investigate and submit a report on the incident in which an 86-year-old man lost his land as he refused to pay bribes to the officials. The Chief Minister's office forwarded the complaint received along with the 'Kerala Kaumudi' report for vigilance investigation.

Intelligence SP ES Bijumon of the Vigilance headquarters has started an inquiry into the lapse on the part of the officials. The action was taken based on the report published by Kerala Kaumudi on Sunday regarding the plight of an 86-year-old Alzheimer's patient who lost his land after he refused to pay bribes to the officials.

86-year-old Appukuttan was a nursing assistant in Neyyatinkara Municipal hospital. His suffering started in 1960 when he bought the land. After years of legal battle, in 2011 the Munsiff court declared an order to hand over 41.388 cents of land to Appukuttan. But his real suffering started when he applied for mutation of property. The agents approached him several times for bribes. But he refused. His application was rejected and the officials refused to consider it even after receiving legal advice. The officials have created documents showing that mutation of the property has been filed in the name of others.

The Revenue Minister has ordered an investigation into the obstruction of mutation of property. The Vigilance SP will also investigate the incident where agents of officials demanded bribes from Appukuttan.