Fresh allegations levelled against Chandy government, ministers

Thiruvananthapuram, March 30 (IANS) Two whistleblowers appeared to create fresh trouble for the Oommen Chandy government on Monday by levelling fresh allegations against four Kerala ministers - three of whom were not named but said to be of the Congress.

The first whistleblower was former minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar, whose Kerala Congress-Pillai has now been booted out of the ruling United Democrat Front alliance.

After lashing out last yeaer in the assembly against his former cabinet colleague, PWD minister V.K.Ebrahim Kunju by alleging widespread corruption his office, Ganesh Kumar, a film actor by profession, Monday turned emotional in front of the Lok Ayukta when he said that he knows that he is exposing a corrupt minister and hence even his life and honour are at stake.

He told the court that a detailed probe should be ordered into the manner in which Kunju, who started off as a worker in a factory in Kochi in 1983, owns huge wealth today.

Neither Kunju's wife nor children had jobs to save this much money and as Kunju's known profession was that of a politician, hence his wealth has to be probed into, he said.

Ganesh Kumar told reporters after coming out of the Lok Ayukta's court that he fears for his life but will not seek any sort of police protection.

"I have given clinching evidence to expose the numerous corrupt deals of Kunju. I am different from other politicians who claim to have lots of documents when they level allegations against others. Here, I have placed all the documents, which speak for themselves of the massive corruption that has taken place, before the Lok Ayukta. This government has institutionalised corruption," he alleged.

Meanwhile Kunju charged Ganesh Kumar of resorting to personal attacks.

"He is levelling baseless allegations and he will be proceeded against legally and politically by me," he said.

Meanwhile, whistle blowerbar owner Biju Ramesh, who last year alleged Finance Minister K.M. Mani took a bribe of Rs. 1 crore, appeared before a magistrate and gave a statement.

"All along when I raised the bribe charges, I was challenged from several quarters to give evidence. I today had an in-camera sitting and the magistrate took my 30-page statement. I have not only said but also given audio evidence to substantiate my allegations which include not just Mani but three other state ministers also," said Ramesh soon after he emerged after a three-and-a-half hours session before the magistrate.

He said he had full faith in the judiciary. "First I was threatened, then when I failed to yield, they started cajoling me requesting me not to appear before the magistrate to give the statement. Now I feel a lot relieved that I have done my job. I did this so as to help the investigation that's already going on in the case," he said.

Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan claimed Chandy is protecting Mani because he wants to shield the three Congress ministers also.