The State government on Saturday suspended from service Public Works Secretary T.O. Sooraj pending inquiry into the charges of amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The suspension came at the end of a series of raids on his office and residence by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) in the last few days. Minister for Home Ramesh Chennithala approved Vigilance Director Vinson M. Paul’s recommendation to suspend the officer from service. The Chief Minister, who is in charge of the General Administration Department, including civil services, signed on the dotted line preparing the way for the official notification.
With his connections across the political establishment, there was considerable speculation that there would be attempts to politically bail him out. The relevant orders giving effect to the suspension were signed ahead of a United Democratic Front meeting in Kochi in the afternoon.
With the Indian Union Muslim League leadership clarifying that it had nothing to do with Mr. Sooraj, besides supporting the government initiative, his suspension did not create any flutter.
The Vigilance has already filed a preliminary report before the Thrissur Vigilance Court on the basis of the documents seized during the raids, sources said.
Two propertiesNidhi Surendranath writes from Kochi: The VACB on Saturday conducted raids on a godown owned in the name of Mr. Sooraj’s daughter. After questioning Sooraj for close to three hours on Friday evening, the department identified at least two properties — a godown and a piece of land at Aluva — that he allegedly held in his daughter’s name. “From an initial probe, it looks as if the property has not been declared to the government,” said a Vigilance official.
The department is said to have recommended in its report to the government that Sooraj be suspended from his post as he may influence the investigation into his assets if he continued in the post.
Officials said that they would now get into the task of verifying the documents seized from Sooraj’s houses and offices. “We may summon Sooraj or anyone else during the course of the investigation if it is required,” said the official.