Anger and annoyance appear to be spreading among the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) fraternity in the State over Vigilance probe against several of them and over the ‘search’ conducted at Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) K.M. Abraham’s home on Wednesday.
A two-member delegation of IAS officers called on Chief Secretary S.M. Vijayanand on Wednesday morning to convey their protest against the Vigilance action. The Vigilance team, the delegation said, did not have a warrant for the search.
A six-member team of Vigilance sleuths had knocked on the door of the Additional Chief Secretary’s apartment in the capital on Wednesday and taken the measurement of the apartment.
Not the firstThe ‘search’ was a follow up on an order issued by Inquiry Commissioner and Special Judge (Vigilance) A. Badarudeen based on a complaint by Jomon Puthenpurackal, a public interest litigant, alleging that Mr. Abraham had repeatedly failed to report his assets to the government.
It is not just Mr. Abraham, widely seen as an upright officer, who has been put under the Vigilance lens.
Earlier this month, the VACB had initiated a re-investigation into a disproportionate assets case against the Public Works Secretary. In September, the VACB had arrested K. Padmakumar, Managing Director, Malabar Cements Limited, over alleged irregularities in allotment of dealership, import of clinker and procurement of raw materials. Mr. Padmakumar, with a clean track record, was arrested after being summoned for questioning.
“There are very corrupt IAS and other officers, but unfortunately clean officers are being targeted,” said former State Planning Board member G. Vijayaraghavan when asked to comment.
