TO Soorej, the former Public Works Department (PWD) secretary and the fourth accused in Palarivattom flyover scam, purchased land through a benami deal using black money worth Rs 2 crore during the tenure of the flyover’s construction, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) told the Kerala High Court on Monday.
In its report submitted to the court, VACB stated that the accused has acquired ‘illegal wealth other than his known sources of income during the 2012-14 period.’
The flyover built at Palarivattom at a cost of Rs 48 crore was closed down in May 2019, just two years after it was thrown open to the public after dangerous cracks appeared on it. Last month, the VACB arrested TO Soorej and three others in alleged corruption in connection with the scam.
Apart from being the secretary of PWD while the flyover was constructed, Soorej was also the member secretary of Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB), the funding agency of the project.
The report submitted to HC by R Ashokakumar, Deputy Superintendent of police, VACB, states that the accused had purchased ‘landed property with a residential complex in Edapally South Village in the name of his son in October 2014’.
“Even though the deed value of the property is shown as Rs 1.04 crore, in the probe, it has come to light that he purchased the property for Rs 3.30 crore,” the report states. It also stated that while in judicial custody, TO Soorej admitted that Rs 2 crore black money was spent to purchase land in the name of his son (a benami deal).
VACB also stated that the evidence collected against TO Soorej in the case shows ‘his role is evidenced beyond doubt’.
According to the agreement of the project, 30 per cent of the ‘running bill’ – issued by the contractor on completion of part of the work – can be deducted as the recovery of mobilization advance given during the beginning of the project. VACB states that Soorej had written a direction to KRFB asking to deduct only 10 per cent of running bill from the contractor.
The report also stated that the role of the then PWD minister and Congress leader Ebrahim Kunju is under investigation and ‘requires sufficient time to unearth the facts’. TO Soorej had earlier alleged that Ebrahim Kunju also has a role in the scam.
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