Court declines to quash ‘illegal appointment’ case

Kochi: The

high court

has declined to quash a case in connection with the allegation that an unqualified candidate was granted appointment by accepting bribe by ADGP

Tomin J Thachankary

when he was the transport commissioner.

The court considered a petition for quashing the case that was filed by Sreehari S, who is an assistant motor vehicle inspector (AMVI) at Thrissur. While Sreehari was a ministerial employee at the transport department, he was appointed as an AMVI in October 2015 on the basis of a BTech degree certificate allegedly issued by Sridhar University at Pilani in Rajasthan, according to a complaint filed before Thiruvananthapuram vigilance court.

Allowing the probe to continue while disposing the case, the court accepted state government’s submission that investigation in the case was progressing. The government submitted that a preliminary inquiry was conducted and an FIR was subsequently registered against Sreehari and two others. Vigilance and anti-corruption bureau (VACB) has been probing the case and Thachankary was not made an accused yet, the court was told.

Based on the government’s submission, the court said investigation on the basis of the FIR should continue. The court added that the petitioner can approach the court at a later stage if there was a complaint that the investigation was improper.

In the complaint filed before the vigilance court, it was alleged that the appointment was made by Thachankary after accepting illegal gratification. The complaint was forwarded by the vigilance court to VACB for conducting a quick verification.

Challenging the vigilance court’s directive in the high court, the petitioner had contended that he and other parties were not heard by the court. An inquiry conducted earlier had found that he had the necessary qualification to hold the job. The present complaint was aimed at maligning the former transport commissioner, he had alleged.