THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ∙ Even after 2.5 years after the vigilance investigation was announced in the Life Mission flat controversy, there is no progress in the case. Former MLA Anil Akkara filed a complaint with the CBI when Swapna Suresh, the accused in the gold smuggling case, revealed that he had received a commission of Rs 1 crore in the Life Mission flat deal in Vadakanchery. When the CBI started a preliminary investigation, the government announced a vigilance probe. The fifth accused in the case registered by the ED in the Life Mission case, the former Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, M. Sivashankar, was arrested the other day. According to the ED chargesheet, Shivshankar received Rs 1 crore as bribe through the transaction.
The CBI, which received Anil’s complaint, had been investigating the matter since September 17, 2020. Vigilance files were seized from the Secretariat and the Life Mission Office after the government announced a vigilance investigation. The Life Mission officials and the accused in the case were interrogated. The phones that were allegedly given as bribes were subjected to scientific testing. The government filed a petition in court against the CBI probe. The case is being investigated by the special unit of vigilance at Poojappura. Vigilance officials said that the investigation is being hampered because the CBI has taken away the documents.
Officials also stated that an application has been made to the Ernakulam CJM Court for certified copies of the documents taken away by the CBI. Vigilance had earlier handed over the report of the expert committee to the government that the Life Mission flat complex in Vadakanchery is not in a weak condition. It was decided to check the force after the allegation of fraud in the construction of the building was raised. A project was prepared to construct 140 flats by spending 14.50 crores out of 18.50 crores allocated by the Red Crescent through the UAE Consulate. The agreement was to build a health center with the remaining amount. The agreement was signed on July 11, 2019.
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Unitac MD Santosh Eepan, the contractor, had admitted that he had paid bribes of Rs 4.48 crore to Swapna and others on behalf of the project. The vigilance was instructed to check the contract between Life Mission and Red Crescent, how the Unitac company became a part of the contract, how much was paid as commission, and the role of the accused in the gold smuggling case in the contract. An expert committee was appointed to check the strength of the building. It was concluded that there is no loss of strength after conducting the hammer test which tests the strength of the pillars and the core test which tests the concrete by cutting it.
English Summary: No major breakthrough in Life Mission Scam case procedure