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Government for CBI probe

Special Correspondent

Charges against Kerala civil supplies during UDF rule

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Government has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to conduct a probe into the alleged irregularities in the purchase of essential commodities by the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation during the previous UDF rule.

The decision was taken on the basis of the Muraleedharan Commission report, the Comptroller and Auditor General's report and a High Court directive in a case relating to the irregularities, Food and Civil Supplies Minister C. Divakaran said in the Assembly on Thursday.

Making a statement after tabling the report of the Judicial Commission headed by Justice Muraleedharan, Mr. Divakaran said the departmental inquiry by the corporation had brought out the irregularities and its board of directors had recommended a CBI probe into the corruption between 2001 and 2004. He said all the investigating authorities that examined Supplyco's records had established that corruption and irregularities had taken place. While the Supplyco's vigilance wing unearthed corruption to the tune of Rs.96.70 crore, the CAG report estimated it to be Rs.134.39 crore. The the Finance Department found that the purchase of dry chilly, Bengal gram, coriander and groundnuts at higher rates had resulted in a loss of Rs.43.37 crore.

He said it was puzzling why the UDF Government had not handed over the investigation to the CBI in spite of a series of recommendations at the Supplyco level and the Financial Inspection Wing of the Finance Department. He alleged that the UDF Government had ordered a judicial inquiry in order to avert a CBI probe. The Judicial Commission probed all dealings of the corporation from 1995 to 2005, but did not find any irregularities, the period when the LDF was in power. Since the purchases were spread over several States, only a CBI inquiry could bring out the real truth, he said.

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