The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) probing the disproportionate assets case against former Excise Minister K. Babu has filed a report with the Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court, objecting a plea filed by parents-in-law of the accused for defreezing their bank accounts.
The court has accepted the VACB report and is slated to consider the same on June 1. Filing the objection report, the VACB has stated that defreezing of the accounts will affect the progress of the ongoing investigation.
The VACB has frozen about 10 bank accounts by his wife Mariya, her parents M.S. Peter and Chinnamma Peter and Nandakumar, a close associate of the former minister.
The action followed raids at their residences and seizure of about 83 documents.
A preliminary verification by the VACB showed Nandakumar had amassed ₹30 lakh between 2011 and May 2016, in addition to constructing a new house and purchasing two cars. Mr. Babu’s father in-law also constructed a new house during the period and expanded his business by purchasing a new set of machinery.
As part of the investigation, the VACB needed to verify the balance sheet, loans obtained from banks and details of the income and sales tax remitted by the respondents, the report stated.
