Thaindian News

Thiruvananthapuram, March 10 (IANS) A month before the April 13 Kerala assembly polls, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan Thursday handed over the opposition’s letter, containing various allegations of corruption against his son, to the home department for a probe by the Lok Ayukta.

Earlier this month, Leader of Opposition Oommen Chandy had submitted a seven-page letter listing out 11 allegations against Achuthanandan’s son V.A. Arunkumar to Achuthanandan, who had asked for a written complaint so that a probe could be ordered.

The allegations against Arunkumar include the scuttling of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the lottery scam, his links with the sandalwood mafia, the manner in which he got a promotion at the state-run Institute for Human Resource Development where he works as joint director, his numerous foreign trips including trips to Macau, and misuse of his official powers when he served as managing director of state-run Coirfed during the previous Left rule in 1996-2001.

Chandy’s letter also mentions about the membership that Arunkumar got in two prestigious clubs, besides the allegation levelled by late technocrat K.P.P. Nambiar, who in his book, mentions that Arunkumar sought bribe to allow a power project in Kannur to get going.

It also calls for a probe in relations of Arunkumar with an individual called Nandakumar, whose credentials are termed “shady”.

Achuthanandan’s action came in the wake of criticism from opposition that he had gone back on his promise of a probe even after Chandy submitted a written complaint and also at a time when his Communist Party of India-Marxist is yet to clear his names to lead the party in the April 13 assembly polls.

The opposition has been after Achuthanandan ever since he reopened the Kozhikode ice cream parlour sex scandal case against opposition Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader and former minister P.K. Kunhalikutty, as well as cases against other opposition leaders.

However, the chief minister’s action failed to satisfy the opposition.

“This is not acceptable to us because Achuthanandan directed police to register a case in the cases which he reopened and he should have done so in his son’s case also,” said state Congress chief Ramesh Chennithala.