Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has suspended GST Joint Commissioner Prajani Rajan following a Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) probe that revealed she had amassed disproportionate assets worth over ₹2.25 crore. The suspension order was issued amidst growing criticism over the delay in taking action against the official, who had continued to attend office for three days even after her properties were raided by the Vigilance department.

According to the suspension order, Rajan’s continuation in service could lead to the destruction of evidence, obstruction of the ongoing investigation, and intimidation of witnesses. Keeping these factors in mind, the government decided to place her under suspension with immediate effect.

The Vigilance team recently conducted raids at Rajan's office in Thevara, Kochi, and her residence in Pachalam. During the searches, officials seized ₹14.10 lakh in cash, US $788, four gold coins weighing one sovereign each, and 190 grams of gold ornaments. These findings corroborated the preliminary assessment of her unaccounted wealth.

Numerous complaints were lodged against Rajan with the Vigilance department since the tenure of the first Pinarayi Vijayan-led government. A preliminary inquiry launched by the agency confirmed that her accumulated assets were vastly disproportionate to her known sources of income, leading to the registration of a corruption case and subsequent detailed investigation.

Interestingly, Rajan's career also saw a shift in political allegiance. During the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) administration, she was an active member of the pro-Left service organisation within the GST department. However, following recent developments and administrative changes, she reportedly switched sides last month, joining a service union affiliated with the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF).