Bid to sabotage cases against UDF Ministers: VS

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JUNE 23. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan, today alleged that the UDF Government had launched moves to sabotage the corruption cases against some of its Ministers in the 1991 ministry, including the former Chief Minister, Mr. K. Karunakaran.

In a statement here today, Mr. Achuthanandan said that the moves to undermine these cases had revealed the true face of the Chief Minister, Mr. A.K. Antony, who had styled himself as a person with a clean image. Mr. Achuthanandan's grouse was against the UDF Government's decision to terminate the services of special prosecutors who were conducting several important corruption cases before the courts. These cases included the Palmolein, Graphite, spirit and the Kuriarkutty-Karappara cases. In the second module of the Graphite case, the Vigilance Court had issued orders to include the Revenue Minister, Mr. K.M. Mani, as one of the co-accused. However, quarters close to Mr. Mani had criticised the court's order, besides belittling the court. The special prosecutor handling this particular case, Mr. P.A. Ahmed, had resigned because he felt that the Antony Government would not allow him to perform his duties smoothly.

Mr. Achuthanandan noted that the Vigilance SP, Mr. A. Surendran, who had handled the Palmolien case right from the beginning had been shifted from his post. He attributed political motives behind this, especially at a time when the court was about to take up for consideration the chargesheet which had been painstakingly prepared by Mr. Surendran.

Mr. Achuthanandan said that Mr. Surendran had been in the Vigilance Department since 1988, before being shifted as Commandant of the SAP, Thiruvananthapuram. The Leader of the Opposition alleged that the Chief Minister had acted in a vindictive manner while taking such a decision. The most popular demand was to exorcise Kerala from the evil of corruption. He said the Opposition would not remain a mere spectator if the Antony Government tried save the tainted Ministers.

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Section  : Southern States
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