In a significant development, the Kerala High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to initiate a detailed investigation into allegations of disproportionate assets amassed by K M Abraham, a retired IAS officer and former Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Justice K Babu, presiding over the case, responded to a petition filed by Jomon Puthenpurackal, a Kottayam-based activist, which accused Abraham of possessing wealth exceeding his legitimate income. The court meticulously reviewed the preliminary enquiry report and additional evidence, concluding that Abraham indeed had assets that were disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Highlighting the inadequacies of the previous investigations by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), the court noted, “The credibility of the enquiry by VACB is doubtful, and their investigation does not instill public confidence.” It was revealed that the VACB had intentionally omitted significant property acquisitions by Abraham in their report, aiming to shield him from further scrutiny.
Further critique was directed at the VACB’s handling of the enquiry report, which was scrutinized by its director, pointing to a systematic attempt to protect Abraham. The High Court’s order emphasized the need for a “fair, honest, and complete investigation” to be conducted by the CBI, citing the essential role of impartial state agencies in maintaining public trust.
This decision also overturns a 2017 ruling by the Enquiry Commissioner-cum-Special Judge in Thiruvananthapuram, who had dismissed the complaint against Abraham as unfounded. The High Court criticized this previous judgment as “perverse and wholly unreasonable,” outlining that it failed to consider substantial evidence against Abraham and blindly accepted the flawed VACB report.
The High Court’s findings were scathing regarding the conduct of the legal advisor of the VACB, who had endorsed the findings of the VACB’s quick verification report. The court rebuked the legal advisor for not performing his statutory responsibilities to uphold the law independently of executive influence, accusing him of failing to present the truth before the court.
The petitioner had detailed various properties acquired by Abraham, including a Rs three crore apartment in Mumbai, a Rs one crore apartment in Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram, and a three-storey shopping complex in Kollam district valued at approximately Rs eight crore, which were initially overlooked by the VACB.
