Kerala HC junks plea for vigilance probe against CM, daughter
In a significant development, the Kerala High Court has dismissed a plea seeking a vigilance probe against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter Veena T over alleged irregularities in the mining sector. The petition was filed by MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan, a Congress leader, who alleged that the CM had favoured Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and that his daughter had received monthly payments from the company.
Kuzhalnadan had also alleged that the CM had allowed the company to buy land for mining without securing the required permissions. He claimed that this was a clear case of nepotism and that the CM was using his power to benefit his daughter.
The petition was dismissed by the court, citing lack of evidence to support the allegations. The court ruled that the allegations made by Kuzhalnadan were based on hearsay and that there was no concrete evidence to prove that the CM had indeed favoured CMRL.
The controversy surrounding the alleged involvement of CM Vijayan and his daughter in the mining sector had been brewing for some time. Kuzhalnadan had first raised the issue in 2020, alleging that CMRL was given a contract to mine rutile, a mineral used in the production of titanium dioxide, without following the proper procedures.
Kuzhalnadan had also alleged that the CM had used his influence to get the contract for CMRL and that his daughter had received a monthly payment of Rs 2 lakh from the company. He claimed that this was a clear case of corruption and that the CM was using his power to benefit his daughter.
The CM and his daughter had denied the allegations, with CM Vijayan stating that he had not given any favors to CMRL and that his daughter had not received any payments from the company. Veena T had also denied the allegations, stating that she had not received any payments from CMRL and that she had not been involved in any illegal activities.
The vigilance probe was sought by Kuzhalnadan in 2020, but the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VB) had rejected his plea, stating that there was no evidence to support the allegations. Kuzhalnadan then approached the high court, seeking a direction to the VB to conduct a probe into the matter.
The high court’s dismissal of the plea is seen as a major setback for Kuzhalnadan and his party, the Congress. The ruling LDF government had been facing criticism over the alleged irregularities in the mining sector, and the controversy surrounding CM Vijayan and his daughter had been a major embarrassment for the government.
The dismissal of the plea has also sparked a fresh controversy, with the opposition parties accusing the government of shielding the CM and his daughter from accountability. The opposition parties had been demanding a probe into the matter, but the high court’s dismissal of the plea has made it difficult for them to do so.
In a statement, Kuzhalnadan said that he was disappointed with the high court’s decision and that he would challenge it in the Supreme Court. He claimed that the court had ignored the evidence presented by him and that the government was using its power to suppress the truth.
The controversy surrounding CM Vijayan and his daughter has far-reaching implications for the government and the mining sector in Kerala. The allegations of nepotism and corruption have damaged the government’s reputation and raised questions about the integrity of the CM and his office.
The high court’s dismissal of the plea has also raised questions about the efficacy of the vigilance probe system in Kerala. The opposition parties have long been accusing the government of shielding its members from accountability, and the dismissal of the plea has given them ammunition to do so.
In conclusion, the Kerala High Court’s dismissal of the plea seeking a vigilance probe against CM Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter Veena T is a significant development in the controversy surrounding the alleged irregularities in the mining sector. The court’s decision has sparked a fresh controversy, with the opposition parties accusing the government of shielding the CM and his daughter from accountability. The controversy has far-reaching implications for the government and the mining sector in Kerala, and it remains to be seen how the government will respond to the allegations.
