The Vigilance court here on Friday ordered registering of a first information report (FIR) on a complaint alleging collusion between government officials and those of two companies behind the proposed Aranmula airport to convert paddy fields and waterbodies.
Kummanam Rajasekharan has filed the complaint on behalf of the Aranmula Paithruka Grama Karma Samithi (CMP No.1292/2012).
S. Soman, Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, who had earlier sought a quick verification report on the complaint, took a serious note of the conduct of the investigating officer who had not taken the statement of Mr. Rajasekharan but had said that the respondents had a satisfactory reputation.
“Without filing an FIR and not even questioning the complainant, the inquiry officer was seen taking shelter under the report. The report itself reveals that a prima facie case has been established against the officials of the Revenue and the Registration departments and private individuals. Hence by rejecting the inquiry report, he has been directed to register an FIR against them and conduct investigation,” the court said. The filing of the FIR has been posted for April 6.
The court had ordered a preliminary inquiry into the complaint on November 22, 2012. Mr. Rajasekharan, in his complaint, had alleged that the reclamation process had breached the provisions of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, the Land Reforms Act and the Kerala Land Utilisation Order 1968.
He alleged that government officials had colluded with Aranmula Aviation Ltd. and KGS Aranmula Airport Ltd. The accused government officials include the village officers of Mallapuzhasseri, Aranmula and Kidangannur; the Taluk Land Board Chairman, the Taluk Surveyor, the Additional Tahsildar and the Tahsildar of Kozhencherry; the Revenue Divisional Officer, Adoor; and the Executive Engineer, Minor Irrigation, Pathanamthitta, all of whom have served the area from 2008.
Other accused
Others accused include Kalammannil Abraham Joseph, director, Aranmula Aviation Ltd., T. Nandakumar, chief operating officer, and members of KGS Aranmula Airport Ltd., and members of the board of Mount Zion Airport Services and others.
