Kerala HC initiates suo motu case involving NRI businessman's suicide

Sajan Parayil, 49, had spent Rs 16 crore on the auditorium, but had been struggling to get a licence for it, according to reports.
Kerala HC initiates suo motu case involving NRI businessman's suicide
Kerala HC initiates suo motu case involving NRI businessman's suicide
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The Kerala High Court on Friday registered a suo moto case in connection with the suicide of a Nigeria-based NRI businessman in Kerala.

The incident has become a major embarassment for the ruling CPI(M) as the suicide was reportedly provoked by the failure of the businessman to obtain the necessary sanctions for his venture from the local civic body headed by the wife of a top CPI(M) leader.

Sajan Parayil, 49, who hailed from Kannur district, killed himself on Tuesday after a state-of-the-art convention centre he built by investing Rs 16 crore failed to get clearance from the Anthoor Muncipality in his home district.

Observing that incidents like these will affect the state's ability to attract investments, a division bench of Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy and AK Jaisankaran Nambiar took up the case and directed the Kerala government to submit all the relevant files by July 15.

The court observed that if government bodies delay giving sanctions to business establishments, then investors might not be interested to invest in such states, which will affect their development.

Parayil's wife, Beena, has gone on record that her husband was under tremendous stress, especially from the Muncipality Chairperson PK Shyamala, who is the wife of senior CPI(M) leader MV Govindan.

The Congress and the BJP have already attacked the CPI(M) and said the life of a businessman was lost because of the cold war between Kannur's two top CPI(M) leaders, P Jayarajan and Govindan.

Based on a preliminary report, State Minister of Local Bodies AC Moideen has suspended four employees of the municipality, which, the opposition parties claimed, was done to shield Shyamala.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) Central Committee member A Vijayaraghavan leadership met with local party leaders on Friday to take stock of the situation. Several other complaints have emerged against Shyamala.

The Anthoor Muncipality currently does not have any opposition party representative, as all the councilors belong to the ruling Left Democratic Front.

Following widespread discontentment over Parayil's suicide, Kerala Police chief Loknath Behera told mediapersons that the matter is being investigated to see if they can bring in charges of abetment to suicide in this case.

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