A Division Bench of the High Court on Monday directed the State government to revisit its decision to give C.K. Baiju, Director-in-Charge of the Mining and Geology Department, who is facing a corruption charge, the additional charge of Executive Director, Kerala Mineral and Metals Limited (KMML).
The Bench consisting Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque and Justice Kauser Edappagath also directed the State government to come up with a decision in 10 days. The court also asked the government to intimate it the reasons for allowing him to continue in the post of Executive Director.
The court passed the directives on a writ petition filed by Tony Thomas of Palakkad. According to him, Mr. Baiju’s service as Director-in-Charge of the Mining and Geology Department had been terminated following a High Court directive. He was subsequently reinstated and was later given full additional charge of Executive Director of KMML on the ground that its Managing Director Chandra Bose was on medical leave.
Vigilance clearance
The petitioner pointed out that as per a 2016 government order, appointments to posts such as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of any public sector undertaking should be made only after obtaining clearance from the Vigilance Department and a selection panel involving experts. However, these norms were given a go-by by the government. Besides, he had also been reinstated as Director-in-charge of the Mining and Geology Department. The orders were against law. He was facing many corruption charges and disciplinary proceedings were pending against him. It was sheer abuse of power by the authorities, the petitioner alleged.
