A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday refused a plea for a directive to Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to register a First Information Report (FIR) in the Pattoor land grab case on the basis of an investigation report given by Vigilance ADGP Jacob Thomas. The Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice A.M. Shaffique, while dismissing a public interest writ petition by Joy Kaitharam, observed that the Lok Ayukta had admitted a complaint filed by the petitioner seeking probe into the case and it was proceeding.
The Lok Ayukta had the power to take appropriate action on a complaint, including a directive for initiation of prosecution. The court, therefore, said that this was not a fit case to be entertained as public interest litigation at the instance of the petitioner, whose complaint on the same allegation was still pending before the Lok Ayukta.