Thiruvananthapuram: The Vigilance Department’s preliminary report on its investigations into the Life Mission controversy has put the Kerala government in a spot.
It has not rejected the possibility of commission having been paid for the Wadakkancherry flat complex project under the Mission. It has, instead, said that the files of various departments, including the Secretariat, should be scrutinised to find out whether any commission was received.
Only by examining the files of Life Mission, Secretariat, Local Government Department, and Unitac and its subsidiary Sane Ventures can it be ascertained whether there were any irregularities in the scheme or whether officials and others had taken commissions, the Vigilance Department said.
The Law Department had recommended that the government take a policy decision and issue an order before signing the MoU for the Life Mission project. But that did not happen, the Vigilance report said.
It confirmed that there was illegal interference in the project and that the Centre was not informed about foreign funds being received for it.
The Vigilance Department has decided to take the statements of Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, the two key accused in the Trivandrum airport gold smuggling racket, in the Life Mission case. It will approach the NIA court to seek its permission for interrogating the two. Statements of officials who were related to the project will also be taken.
Vigilance submits Secretariat files in court
The files that the Vigilance Department had taken from the Secretariat as part of its investigation into the Life Mission project have been submitted to the Vigilance Court. The department has said that the CBI can approach the court if it wants to take the files.
The CBI which is investigating violations of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act in the financial aid received for the scheme from the UAE-based Red Crescent has been demanding the files. However, the Vigilance Department had received legal advice saying the files need not be handed over to the central agency.
Vigilance acts like CBI
The state government had announced a Vigilance inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the Life Mission scheme to avoid a CBI investigation. However, the CBI registered a case just a day after the state asked Vigilance to investigate, putting the government in a difficult situation.
A report given to the home secretary had suggested that Vigilance should take further action in the case on the advice of the Legal Department and other advisers.
The Vigilance, however, did not wait for any of that and, just like the CBI, registered a case a day after the state asked it to investigate the matter. It also seized the files related to the Life Mission before the CBI joined the investigations.
Thrissur Vigilance Inspector P R Sarish completed the preliminary investigation within a week under the supervision of SP VG Vinod Kumar. No one has been named in the case so far.
Life Mission officials’ statements recorded
Kochi: Investigators continue to record the statements of Life Mission officials in connection with the alleged violations of central rules in receiving funding for the construction of the Wadakkanchery housing complex.
After taking the statement of Life Mission CEO UV Jose, the statements of deputy CEO Sabu Kuttan Nair and chief engineer N Ajikumar were also recorded
