Noose tightens around Sivakumar in assets case

VACB to expedite steps to open bank locker of the former Minister

Updated - February 24, 2020 09:52 am IST

Published - February 23, 2020 08:38 pm IST - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

V.S. Sivakumar

V.S. Sivakumar

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) will approach the Vigilance Special Court here on Monday for a search warrant to open the bank locker of former Health Minister and Congress legislator V.S. Sivakumar who is facing prosecution for “illegal amassment of wealth.”

The VACB team had already asked the bank authorities not to allow Mr. Sivakumar to open the bank locker. The investigating team will be formally putting a formal request in writing to this effect to the bank authorities on Monday even as they move the court for a search warrant to open the locker.

The VACB move comes in the wake of Mr. Sivakumar informing the VACB sleuths that the key of the locker is not in his possession and that the locker was not being used by him for several years. The details of the locker were unearthed by the VACB during the 13-hour raid on his residence at Sasthamangalam on Wednesday.

The VACB, which had seized 56 documents during the raid, will also be submitting a detailed report on the raid and the remaining documents to the Special Court on Monday.

Some of the documents seized in the raid from the residence of three other persons, including Mr. Sivakumar's personal chauffeur and a lawyer, had already been submitted in the court. The VACB had simultaneously raided the residences of the other three persons named as accused along with Mr. Sivakumar.

The agency also decided to have a close look into the bank accounts of Mr. Sivakumar in the State Bank of India and Canara Bank. The VACB will approach the two banks for details.

The VACB also expanded the investigating team by including an account audit officer and more policemen. Superintendent of Police, Special Cell, VACB, V.S. Aji is supervising the investigation.

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