Probe law academy land deal: Congress

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The KPCC on Friday demanded a vigilance inquiry into the allegations that the Kerala Law Academy Law College management here has misused the 34.5 cents of government land allotted to it in the heart of the city for commercial purposes.
Addressing a news conference here on Friday, KPCC media cell member B R M Shafeer said that the law academy misused the land along the Punnen Road near the secretariat, by handing it over to a private construction company for commercial purpose.He demanded a vigilance probe against academy founder-director as the land transaction was against The Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act, 1955, under which the land was leased to the academy for educational and charitable purposes.
“Around 55% of the land is now with a realty company .According to a joint venture agreement between academy founder director Narayanan Nair and Heather Constructions' managing partner S M Rajeev dated September 3, 2012, the company has the liberty to sell, transfer and mortgage the land to a third party. More than 32 apartments in the flat complex on that property have already been sold to third parties. This is a clear violation of Section 32 of the Societies Act which clearly describes what educational and charitable purposes are,“ he said.
“In 1968 when the land was leased, the then Achutha Menon government had created a trust committee with the Governor and chief minister of Kerala as ex-officio members.The government should check whether the trust exists now as all decisions are taken solely by the KLA director and principal,“ said Shafeer.
Shafeer also said that the multi-storeyed building was constructed without following safety guidelines.
“The government should probe why the corporation granted the permission for construction,“ he added.