The Crime Branch (CB) has accused the Kerala branch of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) of corruption, nepotism, and brazen squandering of public funds during the 2013-16 period.
The agency’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has booked three prominent office-bearers of the IRCS on the suspicion of cheating, criminal breach of trust by a public servant, embezzlement of public funds and falsification of accounts. They are Sunil C. Kurien, chairman; Chempazhanthi Anil, committee member; and Rejith Ramachandran, vice chairman.
In his 22-page report to the court, P. Gopakumaran Nair, Dy.SP, said the IRCS’s functioning in the State smacked of wrongdoing, unabashed violation of International Red Cross norms, and misrepresentation and misappropriation of public funds for private gain of the State office-bearers.
The accused misused society funds to purchase expensive clothes, mobile phones, luxury cars and air tickets for themselves. One drew Rs.3 lakh as advance but never repaid. Another used society funds to underwrite his house rent.
The CB said the bulk of the IRCS funds was used to meet the expenses of its office-bearers. The society’s money was used without any discretion or sense of social purpose. Hence, a detailed investigation was necessary to fix criminal responsibility in the case.
