• Palter revealed

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The then CEO of Life Mission UV Jose revealed before the ED that it was Sivashankar's strategy to enter into a contract with a private agency in the memorandum of understanding between the government and the UAE Red Crescent and to bring foreign aid directly to the accounts of private companies.

Sivashankar also found a way to avoid the CAG audit. Although the MoU is with the government and the Red Crescent, the building contract was signed between the UAE Consul General, Unitac Builders, and Sane Ventures and arranged by Sivashankar. Neither the funder nor the recipient-Life Mission nor the government was made parties to it. This move was to avoid a CAG audit.

Making an agreement with the Consul General with diplomatic protection was also Sivashankar's idea. Jose reiterated that it was Sivashankar who accepted Unitac's construction plan without contracts and linked the contractor to Life. Old statements were also repeated, including that the MoU itself was shown at noon on the day of signing. He also reiterated that he signed the MoU on July 11, 2019, on the instructions of TK Jose, who was the Ad. Chief Secretary of the Local Government Department, which was scrutinized by the Law and Local Government Departments. With this, apart from Jose and Sivashankar, Tom Jose, who was then Chief Secretary, and TK Jose, who was Local Department Secretary, may also be investigated.

Jose's downfalls

• Jos signed the memorandum of understanding handed over by the foreign organization Red Crescent after learning that Sivashankar had prepared it.
• The file raised by the law department, which questioned whether central approval was obtained for foreign aid, was never seen. No inquiry was done.
• The decision to award construction contracts only to government-approved agencies was not implemented.
• Unitac's flat construction plan was accepted and allowed for construction without examining the contract properly.

That letter which became the trap

ED says the letter written to Red Crescent by the builders with Unitac is evidence against Jose. The letter states that it is satisfied with the design submitted by Unitac and can proceed with them, and Life Mission will assist in obtaining all the permissions.

Date of signing of MoU

The MoU was signed with Red Crescent on July 11, 2019, at the Chief Minister's office. There were no minutes. UV Jose signed on behalf of the government. Life Mission has no record of awarding the construction contract to Unitac. The Chief Minister and the then Local Government Minister AC Moideen have not seen the files. The rationale is that the CM should not see the file as Life Mission has independent jurisdiction. AC Moideen was not there to sign the contract.