The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has told a special court here that it was hard-pressed to investigate allegations of corruption in the purchase of raw cashew by the Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC) in 2015.
In a petition submitted before the court of John. K. Illikadan, Inquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, VACB, this week, the agency pointed out that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was probing the same set of allegations on the orders of the High Court.
“The officers involved in the alleged fraudulent procurement process are also the same. It would not be ‘fair and proper’ for the VACB to conduct another inquiry parallel to the one already opened by the CBI,” it said.
The court will decide on the VACB’s plea later. Public interest litigant Manoj Kadakampally had brought the matter to the notice of the court.
He had moved the VACB court in 2015, citing irregularities in the purchase of raw cashew worth Rs.30 crore by the corporation last year. He had alleged corruption to the tune of Rs.5 crore.
One supplier alone
Mr. Manoj had maintained that only one private cashew supplier had participated in the tender.
“In such an event, the KSCDC was bound by its rules of business to float a new tender. Instead, it awarded the procurement of raw cashew to the sole applicant. The firm was given the contract to supply 2,000 tonnes of raw cashew for Rs.23.40 crore,” he had argued.
Poor quality
Mr. Manoj had alleged that the raw material was mouldy, damp, and of inferior quality. “Surprisingly, it was supplied to the KSCDC barely a day after the tender was finalised. This pointed to conspiracy and premeditation,” he had said.
The raw cashew did not yield the expected amount of kernel, causing huge loss to the corporation.
The supplier could dump inferior material on the public sector firm and make huge profits at the expense of the public exchequer, the complainant had alleged.
He also deposed that the VACB had found that there was evidence enough to register an FIR against the KSCDC management.
However, it wilted under political pressure and sat on the report, he maintained.
‘It is unfair to hold a parallel inquiry, as the CBI is already on the job on an HC directive’
