The Special Vigilance cell of the Agriculture Development and Farmers’ Welfare Department that inquired into corruption allegations in the maintenance work carried out at the Venkulam pond in Karode grama panchayat has recommended the suspension of State agricultural engineer (Mechanical) M.S. Saju, executive engineer (South Zone) S. Jayashree of the Agriculture Department and others involved in carrying out the maintenance work. The cell has also recommended an inquiry by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) against them and against the former Karode panchayat president C. Rabi.
As per the inquiry report, the sidewall of the pond had collapsed owing to a fault in the design. The State agricultural engineer, who was not a competent authority, gave technical sanction for the project. The executive engineer (South Zone) has been found to be guilty of recommending sanction of an important civil work without scrutinising the estimate of ₹1 crore.
Action has been recommended against assistant executive engineer Sam K. James on the charge of abetting corruption by awarding the work to a benami contractor, for preparing fake bills and muster rolls and incurring a loss of ₹45 lakh to the exchequer.
Assistant engineers P.T. Naveen and P.L. Maju have been recommended for suspension for certifying that the construction of the side wall, which collapsed, was satisfactory.
The inquiry found C. Sreekumaran Nair, former Secretary of Karode panchayat, guilty of being part of the benami deals and corruption involved in the project. He is also accused of causing a loss of ₹17.28 lakh to the government and ₹4 lakh to the panchayat by permitting illegal mining of sand.
