A court in Ernakulam turned down a plea by the Kerala Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau seeking custody of VK Ebrahim Kunju, Indian Union of Muslim League legislator, who is currently under treatment in a hospital. The former Public Works Department minister was arrested by VACB, in connection with the Palarivattom flyover scam, while he was in treatment at Lakeshore hospital in Ernakulam. The former minister was diagnosed with cancer earlier and was a patient at the Oncology department of the hospital.

The Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court onTuesday had directed the District Medical Officer to submit a health report of the IUML leader in the court. Later a six-member medical team from the Ernakulam General Hospital had done assessment and submitted a report to  the DMO. The report was submitted before the court stating that Ebrahim Kunju was diagnosed with cancer and he needed to do undergo chemotherapy. The report also said that he had a chemotherapy session on November 19 and another one is slated for December 3.

The VACB had sought four day custody of the MLA, for further interrogation, but the court denied custody as the medical report stated that his health is in poor condition. However the prosecution argued to shift the MLA to a government hospital for further treatment. But the medical report says that there is a chance of infection if he is shifted to some other hospital. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

The court postponed the decision on the bail plea of the accused to November 25. Decisions on shifting the hospital will also be decided after the DMO submits a detailed report on it.

VK Ebrahim Kunju was arrested on November 18, eight months after a case was filed, naming him as the fifth accused in the corruption case. VACB said that the former minister had sanctioned interest free funds to the contracting company that built the flyover. The case surfaced after cracks appeared on the Rs 39 crore Palarivattom flyover within a year after its inauguration in 2016.