Vigilance launches QV against Kadakampally Surendran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The

vigilance

and anti-corruption bureau has launched a probe against tourism and cooperation minister

Kadakampally Surendran

in connection with the appointment of director of the Agency for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT).

Vigilance informed the vigilance special court here that it has launched a probe over a petition that the minister appointed a person who was already facing a vigilance probe as ANERT director, while he was handling the power portfolio. The petition in this regard was filed by M Vincent MLA. The court asked vigilance to file its report within 30 days.

The petition is regarding the appointment of R Harikumar as the director of ANERT, an autonomous organization established under Societies Act, functioning under the power department. The petition said that the government appointed Harikumar as director for toppling the vigilance probe over the

Total Energy Security Mission

(TESM) project of ANERT, of which Harikumar was also one of the members. The petition has also alleged that the application from Harikumar was accepted days after appointing him as the ANERT director.

Meanwhile, the court criticised the vigilance for not making any progress in the case against the installation of effluent a treatment plant in Travancore Titanium Limited (TTL). A vigilance inquiry on the alleged corruption in the Rs 258-crore project is underway. The court said that it is the responsibility of the agency to record the statements of the witnesses in the case and it is shameful that the agency could not do so.

The vigilance probe has former chief minister Oommen Chandy, opposition leader

Ramesh Chennithala

and former public works minister V K Ebrahim Kunju among the accused.

The facts of the case dates back to 2005-06, when the Chandy government signed an agreement for installing the plant and the materials were imported till 2010. Materials worth Rs 85 crore were imported from countries including Finland, through the consultant, M/s Mecon.

It was alleged that no global tender was invited to award the construction. It was also alleged that the accused had colluded with other persons and tried to install expensive machinery with an intention to make an unlawful gain. Earlier, the court had asked the vigilance to register an FIR against the accused, but this was later stayed by the high court. The high court stay was vacated later.