Rampant corruption and nepotism in Kerafed have come to the fore with the Vigilance Officer (Finance) and the Secretary Special Vigilance Cell of the Directorate of Agriculture listing the irregularities in a recent report.
The report, prepared by Vigilance official S. Anilkumar and submitted to the government on June 20, pointed out that Ashok Kumar Thekkan, the Director of Agriculture Department, and others caused a pecuniary loss of over Rs.35 crore through the procurement of raw coconut, purchase of driers and machinery, setting up of sheds and through transportation.
Mr. Thekkan and Kerafed north zone manager Subhash Babu entered into illegal dealings with copra traders of Kozhikode and Kannur districts and made pecuniary gain of around Rs.28 crore by reselling good quality raw coconut and procuring cheap and poor quality kernels from Tamil Nadu. Thus, around 40,000 tonnes of raw coconut was illegally traded, said the report.
Agriculture Secretary Raju Narayana Swami confirmed the findings of the report to The Hindu .
Recovery from officials
Mr. Swami has recommended to the government to accept the report in its entirety and the officials named in the report be proceeded against. The loss sustained by Kerafed shall be recovered from the officials concerned. All future purchases of the corporation shall be made through a purchase committee constituted for the purpose and the private companies involved in the corruption be blacklisted, Dr. Swami recommended.
