Appointment scam? Vigilance probe into Corpn letter row suspecting graft

Thiruvananthapuram: The Vigilance Department has launched a preliminary inquiry into the letter controversy in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation. The probe was initiated based on a directive issued by Vigilance Director Manoj Abraham.

The Vigilance intends to examine whether graft was involved in the temporary appointments attempted by the Mayor and another CPM colleague.

The letters were allegedly written by Mayor Arya Rajendran and Corporation parliamentary party secretary D R Anil to CPM’s Thiruvananthapuram district secretary Anavoor Nagappan.

In the letters, Arya and Anil had requested lists of party supporters from Nagappan to fill various temporary posts. While the Mayor’s letter sought names from the party to appoint 295 persons under the Corporation, Anil wanted to fill temporary vacancies in the SAT Hospital under the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, with party supporters.

Soon after the Mayor’s letter came to light, the Vigilance had received a complaint regarding around 1,000 temporary appointments by the Corporation during the last two years. The complaint, filed by Congress leader and former Corporation councillor G S Sreekumar, alleged that the letter had exposed a major scam related to temporary postings.