UDF demands judicial probe into HMT land deal

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 16 (UNI) The Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) today urged the Kerala Government to order a judicial probe into the alleged Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) land deal at Kochi.

Talking to newspersons after the UDF meeting, its convenor P P Thankachan said the state government was trying to protect the culprits behind the land deal and alleged that some ministers had vital role in the deal.

Though the government had received reports from the Collector, the Law Secretary and the Cabinet Sub-committee, it was not ready to take action, he charged.

The government should follow the same procedure taken against Kerala Congress (Joseph) Ministers P J Joseph and Kuruvila, he added.

Following the allegations relating to the deal, the Cabinet had appointed a committee headed by the Chief Secretary to study the sale of 70 acres of land at Kochi's industrial hub Kalamassery by the HMT to Mumbai-based HDIL company to set up a Rs 4,000 crore Cyber City,' in violation of the clauses in the agreement reached between the PSU and the state government.

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