The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has filed a case before the Kozhikode Vigilance Inquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, pertaining to allegations of corruption in the granting of building permit by the Kozhikode Corporation for an apartment at Nellikode in the city.
The first information report filed by M.P. Premdas, Deputy Superintendent of Police, VACB, has named M.K. Kunhimuhamd (first accused), former secretary, Kozhikode Corporation; M.K. Sreejith (second accused), former Town Planning Officer, Kozhikode Corporation; P. Chandran (third accused), secretary, Indian Overseas Bank and Retired Officers Housing Society, Kozhikode; and S. Vijayakumar (fourth accused), former Secretary, Kozhikode Corporation.
The case was registered under Section 13(1) (c) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.
Report rejectedEarlier, Judge V. Jayaram had rejected a report submitted by the Dy.SP on a complaint moved by T. Praveen Kumar, alleging that the civic body had granted permit for constructing a 10-storey apartment to the IOB Officers and Retired Officers Housing Cooperative Society, Kozhikode, violating the Kerala Municipal Building Rules.
The Vigilance report said that the officers had retired from government service and the scope for a department-level action against them for the irregularities was negligible. However, the petitioner had challenged this report.
The petitioner had alleged that the Corporation officials had granted the permit by corrupt and illegal means. This had caused disadvantage and hardship to the residents of the locality.
Safety concerns
The FIR said that the public servants had conspired with the housing society secretary to grant permit for constructing a flat at Nellikode.
They had violated the court order and the condition imposed by the Town Planner to construct safety walls.
Such a step had given the secretary pecuniary advantage in the flat construction, it said.
