HC stay on reprobe into ration depot anomalies

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday stayed the reinvestigation ordered by the Vigilance Director in connection with the anomalies regarding the sanctioning of Ration Wholesale Depots in which Minister Adoor Prakash is the first accused.A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice J Chelameswar and Justice P R Ramachandra Menon  passed the order while considering a petition filed by Joy Kaitharath, general secretary of the State Human Rights Protection Centre, Thrissur, challenging the reinvestigation order.The court also issued notices to the state government, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau director Desmond Netto, the Vigilance Superintendent and Health Minister Adoor Prakash.The petitioner submitted that the Vigilance case against Adoor Prakash is related to granting of licence to ration depots at Omassery in Kozhikode during the tenure of previous UDF Ministry (2001-’06). Aburahman, the complainant in the case, has filed an application for dealership of a depot at Omassery. “The then Civil Supplies Minister Adoor Prakash had demanded `25 lakh from him for granting licence. Later, the Minister’s  personal secretary also repeated the same. Since bribe was not given, the complainant was not given licence,” the petition alleged. The petitioner further pointed that subsequent to the complaint alleging anomalies regarding the sanctioning of ration wholesale depots a case was investigated by the Vigilance and charge-sheeted five persons under Prevention of Corruption Act, in which Adoor Prakash is the first accused. The petitioner submitted that after the Assembly elections, the Vigilance Director ordered reinvestigation based on a petition filed by Adoor Prakash. The petitioner further alleged that reinvestigation in a criminal case where final report has already been filed, is illegal. The Vigilance Director’s order is without prior sanction from the court, he said. “The order by the Vigilance Director is solely based on a complaint by the first accused. It can only be passed after prior permission from the court,” the petitioner said, and added that the reinvestigation order was issued to protect Adoor Prakash.