Ex-Kerala minister to be quizzed again by Vigilance

Kochi, Feb 8 (IANS) A former Kerala minister is all set to be quizzed by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) over a case of graft in the construction of the Palarivattom flyover.The VACB is now all set to quiz former Public Works Department Minister Ebrahim Kunju, presently a senior legislator with the Indian Union Muslim League as he was the Minister when the now faulty flyover was constructed.Mohammed Hanish, a top bureaucrat is the second person who is most likely to be called in by the VACB, as he was holding a key post during the time of the construction.Built at a cost of Rs 42 crore during the previous Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's regime, the 750-metre flyover was supposed to last for over 100 years. It was opened in October 2016 and within three years the flyover started crumbling and had to be closed. The flyover was built by the Delhi-based RDS Projects for the state-owned Roads and Bridges Development Corporation. KITCO was the supervision consultant for the project.According to the rules, the VACB will now have to wait for the ongoing session of the Kerala Assembly to end for Kunju to be quizzed, while Hanish, is likely to be called in first.Already four arrests have been made in this case and after being in jail, all the four have been released on bail.Those arrested earlier included the project director Sumit Goyal of RDS Projects, former Public Works Department Secretary T.O. Sooraj, Benny Paul who represented the KITCO, and M.T. Thankachen from the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation.
--IANS sg/skp/