Kochi: A day after Kerala High Court slammed the state government and the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau in connection with a case of alleged corruption in Malabar Cements, the investigative agency has decided to probe the case after filing an FIR.
Several UDF and LDF leaders, including CPM central committee member Elamaram Kareem will come under the scanner. It is learned that some IAS officers and Malabar Cements' officials will be made accused.
The high court on Friday criticized the state government and the vigilance for not filing an FIR against various officials of Malabar Cements and a controversial contractor who has close links with the company in a case of alleged corruption.
Passing orders on a petition by the complainant in the matter, justice B Kemal Pasha asked the vigilance director to be present in the court in case FIR was not registered within a week. Earlier, the vigilance department had conducted a quick verification against various officials in the company and contractor V.M. Radhakrishnan on a complaint of alleged corruption filed by one Joy Kaitharath.
Due to inaction in registering FIR, the petitioner had approached the high court. But the government had informed that an FIR has been registered against the accused, following which the petition was closed earlier. However, later on verification it was found that FIR was not registered and the petitioner again approached the high court.
Justice Kemal Pasha, while considering the review petition, said that judicial process cannot be stalled for the controversial businessman. Coming down heavily on the lethargic attitude of the vigilance department, the court granted one week's time for registering FIR in the case, failing which vigilance director shall be present in the court in person on July 18.
