The Kozhikode Vigilance Inquiry Commissioner and Special Vigilance Judge, on Tuesday, issued orders directing the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to register a case pertaining to the charges of corruption in granting building permit by the Kozhikode Corporation for the construction of an apartment at Nellikode in the city.
Judge V. Jayaram issued the order after rejecting a report submitted by VACB Deputy Superintendent of Police M.P. Premdas on a complaint earlier. The court also directed the VACB to register a case against M. Kunhi Mohammed, former Secretary, Kozhikode Corporation; M.K. Sreejith, former Town Planning Officer; and P. Chandran, secretary, Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) Officers and Retired Officers Housing Cooperative Society. It has posted the case for further hearing to December 10.
The petitioner, T. Praveen Kumar, alleged that the civic body had granted permit for construction of a 10-storyed apartment to the IOB Officers and Retired Officers Housing Cooperative Society, Kozhikode, violating the Kerala Municipal Building Rules. There was rampant corruption behind granting permit, he said.
The petitioner had submitted the complaint before the court on April 23, 2012, but the VACB, after conducting a preliminary probe, submitted a report stating that the petition did not merit a Vigilance investigation. The officers responsible had retired from government service and the scope for a department-level action against them for the irregularities was negligible, the Vigilance report said.
It had recommended that necessary direction be given to the Chief Town Planner, Thiruvananthapuram, to ensure safety measures before regularising the construction of the apartment and assigning the building number.
The petitioner challenged this report that led to the court, asking the VACB to register a case and investigate the charges.
