A Vigilance probe has been sought into the misuse of land allotted by the government for the Kerala Law Academy Trust at Punnen Road and construction of a high-rise in the prime land near the Government Secretariat.
The 0.139 hectare plot, located near the Secretariat, was handed over by the government to the trust in 1968 for educational purposes.
B.R.M. Shafeer, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee Media Cell Member, who has approached the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau for a probe, has accused Kerala Law Academy Law College Principal Lakshmi Nair and her father N. Narayanan Nair, secretary of the trust, of misusing the land for financial gains through real estate transactions.
Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Shafeer said the trust entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with the private construction company Heather Constructions in September 2012 for building a 11-storey complex for commercial or special residence on a section of the plot measuring 0.07 hectares.
According to the agreement, the builder is at liberty to sell, transfer or mortgage 55% of the area to any prospective buyer, who may not be connected to the policies, principles and directives of the academy. Mr. Shafeer said this was a violation of the Travancore Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act, 1955, under which the trust was established.
The sale of flats to around 38 persons has already been carried out, according to him. Further, the agreement fixed the purchase value of the plot at ₹1.5 crore, while the actual value of the land is probably around ₹50 crore, thereby depriving the government of a large amount of revenue.
The construction of the flat was undertaken without a No Objection Certificate from the Kerala State Fire and Rescue Services, which was then helmed by Jacob Thomas. Mr. Shafeer sought an investigation into this oversight as well.
The Vigilance Director is yet to respond to the complaint, Mr. Shafeer said.
