Kerala

Pannyan Raveendran files writ petition challenging Lokayuktha probe in payment seat allegation

Written by : TNM

The News Minute | December 17, 2014 | 12.20 pm ISTPannyan Raveendran, Kerala State secretary of Communist Party of India (CPI) has filed a writ petition in the High court questioning the maintainability of a Lokayuktha complaint and probe order with regard to the payment for Lok Sabha seat allegation against CPI.The Lokayukta in October had ordered a probe into the allegations about the candidature of Bennet Abraham, who was the LDF-backed CPI candidate at Thiruvananthapuram constituency in the last Lok Sabha elections.The Lokayukta's order was based on a complaint by A Shamnath, against CPI state secretary Pannyan Raveendran, CPI national executive member C Divakaran and CPI state executive member R Ramachandran Nair.Now Raveendran has reportedly approached the HC challenging the maintainability of the complaint and Lokayukta’s order directing an investigation by the Inspector General of Police into the said allegations.According to Kerala Law Review his writ the investigation officer appointed by Lokayuktha has asked him to submit some documents by December 19. Raveendran claims in the writ that Lokayukta Act 1999 does not allow Lok Ayukta to inquire into the internal affairs of a political party.According to sources he has challenged his inclusivity under Lokayuktha. He has pointed that the petitioner (Raveendran) do not come under the definition of a public servant under the Prevention of Corruption Act as he was not a government employee or discharging any public duty as defined in the Act.Tweet

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