Thiruvananthapuram: By challenging the CBI probe into the Life Mission project in the Kerala High Court, the LDF government has effectively taken a stand contradictory to one of its own earlier orders.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) initiated a probe into the Life Mission's housing project at Wadakkanchery in Thrissur for allegedly violating the Foreign Contribution (Regulations) Act (FCRA).
The current LDF government had issued a notification on June 8, 2017, giving permission for the CBI to probe any case involving a violation of the FRCA. The order was issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Subrata Biswas. The permission was granted on the CBI's request.
The CBI is probing the Rs 20-crore foreign aid received for the Wadakkanchery project without the Centre's approval and the Rs 4.5-crore given to middlemen from the aid.
The central agency had filed an FIR based on a complaint by Wadakkanchery Congress MLA Anil Akkara. The CBI initiated the probe and also asked Life Mission CEO U V Jose to produce documents related to the project.
But the state government had on Wednesday moved the HC, seeking to quash the FIR filed by the CBI.
However, the High Court allowed the CBI to continue with its probe into the Life Mission project. The HC also asked the Life Mission to cooperate with the probe.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had on Thursday asserted that the Life Mission had not received any funding from abroad and the provisions of the FCRA were not flouted.
