The Opposition has accused the Kerala government of eavesdropping on the phones of mediapersons and leaders of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) to get information on whistle-blowers who had flagged corruption in the Police Department.
The government on Wednesday constituted a three-member team of Home Department officials to investigate the “leakage of information and documents related to a report submitted by the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) of India”.
Challenging the government to arrest him, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and Congress leader, Ramesh Chennithala, on Friday released two Home Department documents which, he said, pointed to the “entrenched corruption in the police”. The papers pertained to irregularities in the purchase of 145 patrol vehicles and a large number of multimedia projectors using Central funds for police modernisation.
He said State police chief Loknath Behera had sanctioned the pricey acquisitions by overlooking the store purchase manual rules and Central Vigilance Commission norms. The government glossed over the lapses by regularising the deal. It had let off Mr. Behera with the usual warning to follow norms in the future. Mr. Chennithala said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan appeared obliged to protect Mr. Behera.
‘Quixotic project’
Mr. Chennithala said the CAG’s report and processes that preceded it were open and transparent. The government had embarked upon a quixotic project by ordering an inquiry into “CAG leaks”. By ordering the enquiry, Mr. Vijayan had proven that his mindset was no different from that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He termed the probe fascist and retributive. Instead, the government should probe CPI(M) workers in Kochi for siphoning off funds meant for flood relief.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Mullappally Ramachandran said the government was fearful of more instances of police corruption tumbling out and hence had ordered the probe to intimidate journalists and civic-minded persons.
On March 10, Congress workers will lay siege to the Vizhinjam police station as part of a State-wide campaign to highlight the police corruption spotlighted by the CAG, the party said.
