Nepotism row in Kerala: Vigilance seeks legal opinion

VACB Director Jacob Thomas sought legal advice based on three complaints which he received from Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and BJP leaders V Muraleedharan and K Surendran. The controversy erupted following appointment of PK Sudheer Nambiar, son of CPI(M) Kannur MP and senior leader PK Sreemathi and nephew of Industries Minister EP Jayarajan, as the Managing Director of Kerala State Industrial Enterprises Ltd allegedly without requisite qualifications. The appointment was later quashed by the government, even as more media reports have emerged claiming relatives of other senior CPI(M) leaders have been given key posts. Congress and BJP have used it as ammunition to target the four-month-old LDF government headed by Pinarayi Vijayan and have demanded scrapping of all such appointments and initiating a comprehensive probe.

Vigilance sources said the agency would decide on further proceedings to be taken on the complaints according to the legal opinion it receives.

Thomas is expected to meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at his office on Thursday and hold discussions over the matter, they added.

Amidst a clamour for his removal by Opposition, Jayarajan on Wednesday met CPI(M) state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan at the AKG Centre, party headquarters.  Jayarajan declined to talk to the media after he emerged from the hour-long meeting.

Besides the opposition, Marxist veteran and Chairman of state Administrative Reforms Committee VS Achuthanandan and CPI, the second largest partner in ruling LDF, have also voiced their opinion against the appointments putting the CPI(M)-led LDF government in a spot.