Kerala HC seeks instructions from government on graft charges against former Kannur district panchayat chief P.P. Divya

The Kerala High Court has sought instructions from the State government on a petition alleging that there is a bid to sabotage a Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) probe into corruption allegations against the former president of Kannur district panchayat P.P. Divya.

In his petition submitted before the High Court, P. Muhammed Shammas, vice-president of the Kerala Students’ Union (KSU), said that there were attempts to sabotage the VACB probe against Ms. Divya in connection with alleged “corruption and benami property transactions to the tune of crores of rupees.”

Mr. Shammas, who had lodged a complaint with the VACB six months ago, had said recently that no action had been taken in the complaint so far and even his statement had not been recorded. He had alleged that the probe was derailed following high-level political intervention and said that former Vigilance Director Yogesh Gupta, who had recommended registration of a case on the basis of the preliminary inquiry, was removed from the post and was later denied appointment as the State Police Chief.