The CPI(M)-led Kerala Government suffered a major setback as the Director General of Vigilance unearthed a multi-crore scam involving the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF).
However, a day after the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) unearthed an organised racket which had syphoned off large amounts of money from the CMDRF Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said stern action would be taken to prevent ineligible persons pocketing the aid.
"The Government is determined that no wrong tendencies crept into the CMDRF. Hence, the Vigilance was directed to conduct a comprehensive probe. The CMDRF is meant for helping the poor, particularly for their medical treatment. Stringent action would be taken against those ineligible persons, who made pecuniary gains, and those officials who helped that racket,'' Vijayan said.
Earlier, Manoj Abraham, Director General, Vigilance Department told news reporters at Thiruvananthapuram that his office has come across many irregularities and improprieties connected with the CMDRF, a fund meant for reimbursement of medical treatment of people who come under the poverty line.
"There are agents working across the State to help people who are otherwise not eligible to get financial aid from this fund. We have seen one medical doctor certifying more than hundred applications seeking aid from the fund," said Manoj Abraham.
Officials of the Vigilance Department held raids across various civil stations in the State and unearthed names and phone numbers of the liaison agents who facilitate the transfer of funds from the CMDRF.
The basic requirement for seeking financial aid from CMDRF is that the applicant's annual income should be less than Rs 2,00,000.
A caucus of CPI-M local leaders, Government doctors and bureaucrats are the main protagonists of this scam.
"The Pinarayi Vijayan Government is facing the biggest scam in the history of India. Money meant for helping poor people has been diverted to wealthy persons.
“There are instances of rich and powerful person in Ernakulam walking away with Rs 3.5 lakh as expenses to meet medical treatment.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg," said veteran legislator PC George, seven time MLA and the de facto Leader of Opposition.
VD Satheeshan, the de jure Leader of the Opposition said that he was sure that many CPI-M leaders were involved in the scam and the Kerala Government would try and derail the probe. K Rajan, Minister for Revenue, said on Thursday that no stones would be left unturned to bring to book the persons behind the scam.
"No eligible persons would be denied financial assistance from the CMDRF because of this shocking development," said Rajan who represents the CPI in the LDF Government.
Meanwhile the Opposition's resentment against Vijayan is growing by the hour.
Congress and Yuva Morchcha (the youth wing of the dysfunctional Kerala BJP) are waging pitched battles by holding black flag demonstrations.
MV Govindan, secretary, Kerala CPI-M alleged that the Opposition parties were trying to create bloodshed in the State by forcing their cadres to jump before the speeding car of the Chief Minister.
"We have deployed a big police force to save the lives of the youth who charge towards the Chief Minister's car. It is for their security that the number of cops has been increased," said Govindan.
There are reports in the local media that the demonstrations against the chief minister are being staged with the tacit support of a prominent section in the CPI-M.
