The Kerala High Court (HC) on Monday asked the Vigilance Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to share the progress of the investigation and the essential details of the Palarivattom flyover corruption case registered against former Public Works Minister V.K. Ebrahim Kunju, MLA, with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to enable it to conduct effective probe into a money-laundering case, a spin-off of the corruption case.
Justice Sunil Thomas passed the directive when a petition filed by G. Girish Babu of Kalamassery, Kochi, seeking a VACB probe into alleged illegal money transactions involving crores of rupees during the time of demonetisation into the account of Chandrika, a mouthpiece of the Indian Union Muslim League came up for hearing.
When the petition came up for hearing, Assistant Solicitor of India submitted that a detailed statement on the action taken by the ED as well as the authority under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act would be filed.
He further submitted that the VACB be directed to share the essential details and the progress of the investigation into the Palarivattom flyover corruption case so that effective steps could be taken by the ED and the authority regarding the money- laundering case.
Threat
Meanwhile, A. Rajesh, Special Public Prosecutor for VACB, handed over to the court in a sealed cover a report on the investigation into the allegation of threat held against Mr. Girish Babu by the former Minister and his son for filing the petition. The petitioner alleged that ₹10 crore was deposited by Sameer, a director board member of Chandrika, at the branch of Punjab National Bank, Market Road in Ernakulam on November 15, 2016.
Besides he had also deposited several crores of rupees into the newspaper’s account at SBI Kaloor branch on the same day. In fact, the source of the money had not been disclosed. These were benami transactions conducted on behalf of the former Minister, he had further alleged.
