The First Information Report (FIR) submitted by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) at the Court of Inquiry Commissioner and Special Judge (Vigilance) here on Thursday has named former Transport Minister Thomas Chandy, MLA, as the first accused in the alleged encroachment and development of wetland using public funds in Alappuzha.
The FIR submitted by Special Investigation Unit-1 (SIU), Thiruvananthapuram, has named District Collector, Alappuzha (during 2010-12), as the second accused and chairman Water World Tourism Company as the third accused. Block Development Officer, Aryad panchayat (during 2010-12), is the fourth accused. These were the four persons named as accused in the criminal cases filed by complainant Subhash M. Theekkadan, a lawyer from Alappuzha.
The FIR names 22 persons in total, out of which 12 are government officials. Others are from the Water World Tourism Company.
The FIR has slapped Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant; Section 13(1) C and D of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 (fraudulently misappropriating property and through corrupt means); Section 13 (2) criminal misconduct by a public servant; and Sections 23 and 24 of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Land Act.
Judge V. Dilip has directed the SIU to submit the final report by April 19, 2018. The advocate for the complainant pointed to the fact that while the quick verification report was prepared by the VACB, Kottayam unit, the investigation has been handed over to the VACB, SIU-1, Thiruvananthapuram. The court overruled the contention pointing out that the issue came under the prerogative of the Director of VACB.
