A full-fledged investigation into the Pattoor land scam can be conducted only after getting back relevant documents submitted to the Lok Ayuta, according to an affidavit filed by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) in the High Court
The affidavit, however, said that the investigation so far had revealed that there was forgery of documents and that illegal entries were made in the records relating to the land kept at the Vanchiyoor village office. A detailed investigation needs to be conducted into these aspects. Moreover, crucial files kept at the Revenue Department, Water Resources Department, and Kerala Water Authority, pertaining to the shifting of a sewerage pipeline, were to be seized. The accused could be questioned only after seizing the files from the department. A thorough investigation was necessary to unearth facts relating to the ownership of the property.
The affidavit was filed in response to a petition filed by former chief secretary E.K. Bharat Bhushan challenging the FIR registered by the VACB in the case against him.
He has been arraigned as the third accused. The Vigilance case was that the former Chief Secretary and other officials had committed criminal misconduct by abusing their official posts to cause undue advantage to the realtor by allowing to shift a sewage pipeline on the property bought by the realtor for constructing multi-storied apartments.
The FIR named former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy as the fourth accused while realtor’s managing director T.S. Ashok is the fifth accused.
Two former executive engineers of the KWA are the first and second accused in the case.
The secretaries of Revenue and Water Resources departments had told the VACB that the documents relating to the case would be produced when the Lok Ayukta returned them. The pipeline was laid prior to 1965. In that case it would conclusively reveal that when the sewage pipeline was laid the property belonged to the government, the affidavit said.
Quick verification
The affidavit added that during a quick verification it was revealed that the pipeline passing through the land was seen shifted without the knowledge of Water Resources Department.
