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Graft cases filed against top Forest official

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM April 11. The Vigilance has filed three separate cases in the Special Court here against P. K. Surendran Asari, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, accusing him of causing huge losses to the exchequer in conspiracy with private persons during 1992-'95.

In two of the cases, the former executive engineer, Agasthyavanam Biological Park, K. Govindan, figures as the second accused.

According to one FIR, the two officials conspired to help the proprietor of a steel fabrication unit to make an illegal profit of Rs.1.45 lakhs.

N. Janardhanan, proprietor of Fancy Steel Fabrication, Coimbatore, had forged the quotations of two private firms for the steel fabrication work of the Forest Headquarters building at Vazhuthacaud here and managed to get the contracts at his quoted rates, the FIR said.

The rates quoted by Janardhanan were higher than the prevailing rates quoted by a local firm.

According to the second FIR, the two officials made an excess payment of Rs.7.05 lakhs to T. U. Cherian, who was entrusted with the construction of the Forest Headquarters building. Cherian had supplied the material and labour for the construction of the entire building.

In the third FIR, apart from Mr. Asari, K.N. Sasidharan, proprietor of the Kochi-based Sooryarekha Films & Television, is the accused. Mr. Asari had signed an agreement in March, 1994, with Sasidharan for the production of seven documentary films on wildlife at a total cost of Rs.24.68 lakhs.

As per the agreement, the films were to be completed before October 1995. Without obtaining any surety or bank guarantee, Asari made an advance payment of Rs.12.34 lakhs to Sasidharan. However, the films were not handed over till August, 2002.

The cases have been filed by C. P. Gopakumar, Dy.SP, Special Investigation Unit, here.

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