Vigilance probes KPCC chief Sudhakaran, notice seeks details of wife's income

New Delhi: There is no respite for the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K Sudhakaran as the Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau has now initiated a probe against him shortly after the Crime Branch arraigned him as an accused in a multi-crore scam involving so-called dealer of fake antiques Monson Mavunkal. 

The Kozhikode unit of Vigilance started an inquiry into the financial sources of the senior Congress leader even as the Opposition accused the LDF government of witch-hunt in response to back-to-back allegations in the implementation of mega projects.

It was the Kerala Congress chief himself who revealed about the Vigilance probe against him upon reaching New Delhi to hold discussions with the Congress high command.

Sudhakaran's ex-driver  Prashanth Babu is set to depose against him before the Vigilance team. Babu had earlier claimed that he is well aware of Sudhakaran's financial misdeeds. In 2012, he had alleged Sudhakaran had pocketed money from the funds sourced for building the Congress office in Kannur.

Notice to Sudhakaran's wife

The Vigilance issued a notice to the principal of the school, where Sudhakaran’s wife had been working as a teacher, seeking the latter’s salary details. The principal was asked to hand over details of salary and other benefits drawn by Sudhakaran’s wife since 2001.

Smitha Sudhakaran was a teacher at the Kadachira High School in Kannur.  “Let them find out black money if there is any,” Sudhakaran remarked sarcastically.

Sudhakaran has reached New Delhi along with Opposition leader V D Satheesan to meet senior Congress leaders. 

“Will convey to the high command the prevailing political situation of Kerala. Also, will inform Rahul Gandhi of the details of the case,” Sudhakaran added.

The Crime Branch recently arrested him after arraigning him as an accused in the fraud case, stating that his presence had lent credibility to the dubious business run by conman Monson Mavunkal. The development came after complainants alleged that on November 22, 2018, Sudhakaran had promised them at Monson’s house that he would intervene to resolve the issues in his capacity as a member of parliament.

Curiously, the Crime Branch action comes nearly two years after a picture of Monson with Sudhakaran had emerged in the public domain.