CBI has got Kerala state government’s permission to prosecute Salim Raj, former gunman of Oommen Chandy when he was chief minister, in the Kadakampally land grab case.
Salim Raj had faced many more allegations in other scams during Chandy’s rule, including in the solar scam.
The Times of India report says that the additional chief secretary (home and vigilance) Nalini Netto allowed CBI's request to prosecute Raj a week ago.
As per the report, CBI sources have revealed that the Kadakampally land grab case is just one such case against Salim and that by interrogating him, more would be revealed.
With the agency getting the sanction to prosecute Raj, the trial in the case is likely to begin in the CBI special court in Thiruvananthapuram soon. The charge sheet has already been prepared, The ToI reports.
On March 28, 2014, the Kerala High court had ordered a CBI probe into the alleged land grabbing case.
The case involves land grab of around 44 acres of land in Kadakampally village by a group by creating fake thandapers (title deeds) and used thandapers in others' name for land transactions at various sub-registrar offices in Thiruvananthapuram district.
Salim Raj was the 21st accused and his wife was the 22nd. There were two accused in the case and seven among them were public servants.