(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The order placing Sooraj under suspension pending investigation into the charge against him was signed by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Saturday.
The Kerala government has suspended senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and Public Works Secretary T O Sooraj following a Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) report that he had amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The order placing Sooraj under suspension pending investigation into the charge against him was signed by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Saturday on the recommendation of VACB Director Vincent M Paul.
The action followed seizure of documents showing disproportionate wealth acquired by him in the raids conducted on his premises in various parts of the state and Tamil Nadu.
His ten bank accounts were frozen following the raids. A detailed investigation report on the raids has been submitted at the vigilance court at Trichur. The investigating team has already filed a first information report in the court.
Sooraj was also questioned about the documents seized from his office and residences in Trivandrum and Cochin on Wednesday.
The probe team grilled him for more than six hours. They sought complete details of the properties held in his name as well as in the name of his relatives.
The vigilance probe team will also be questioning his relatives especially his son who holds substantial wealth in his name. Vigilance is also considering the option of arresting Sooraj to avert destruction of evidence. The officials say questioning him in custody will help them to extract more information about the sources of income.
The vigilance move is in the light of his high political influence. Sooraj who is said to be close to the ruling Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and a section of the opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist) is confident to face the case.
He told reporters at Cochin on Saturday that he was falsely framed in the case. He said that he will reveal details about the conspiracy at the appropriate time. Sooraj who belongs to the 1994 batch said that he will face the case legally.
He has also warned to expose the ‘real face’ of those against him.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said action against Sooraj was being taken based on strong evidence.
When asked about PWD Minister Ebrahim Kunju’s complaint that he was kept in the dark on the action Ramesh quipped that the Vigilance was not a ‘caged parrot’.
The minister said that the vigilance raid was based on complaints received by the state government from many people against the officer.
There is strong evidence against him and the action against him is neither vindictive nor prejudiced he added. -newskhaleejtimes.com
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