Kerala Opposition leader, VS Achuthanandan is likely to approach the Vigilance Court against Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, in the Pattoor land scam.
In his petition, Achuthanandan will claim that the CM is the prime accused in the case and will focus on the stand taken by Chandy in the files related to Pattur land in Thiruvananthapuram.
The veteran CPI(M) leader also alleged that the CM was directly involved in the whole scam to help the flat and mall owners.
The whole issue came up when a complaint was registered by Kerala Water Authority (KWA) related to the construction of a multi-storied building at Pattoor by Avruthi Mall, claiming that the builder had encroached upon 16.5 cents of Purambokku land through which the pipeline of the KWA had been laid.
In November 2014, the Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau (VACB) had come out with evidence that there could be possible involvement of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and former Chief Secretary E K Bharat Bhushan in the case.
As per the VACB report in the files, both of them had signed and stated that “as the land through which the pipeline passes through is not Purambokke land, it appears just and proper that it should be shifted out of the realtor’s land so that it does not pose a hindrance”.
Moreover, the Chief Minister also reportedly noted in the file that “since difference of opinion is seen in the report of the District Collector, VACB, Land Revenue Commissioner and the Revenue Secretary, the Chief Secretary may please examine the matter in detail and offer remarks to settle the issue”.
In January 2015, the Lokayukta registered a case of corruption against Thiruvananthapuram District Collector Biju Prabhakar and 14 other officials, including the former Collector, related to the land scam.
Later, the Kerala High Court stayed the Lokayukta’s action against Biju, following his appeal in court.