Achuthanandan seeks CBI probe against Chief Secretary

Thiruvananthapuram, June 24: As an offshoot of the rift among a section of IAS officers in

, opposition CPI-M leader V S Achuthananandan today raised allegations of suppression of assets by Chief Secretary E K Bharat Bhushan in the assembly and demanded a CBI probe, but Chief Minister Oommen Chandy rejected the charge as baseless.

Making a submission, Achuthanandan, quoting media reports, reiterated his charge made earlier that the Chief Secretary had forged his assets statement by not including his wife's properties. Intervening, Chandy rejected as baseless the allegations against the Chief Secretary and said "it is not the policy of the government to let down an official who has not done anything wrong."

The government would not agree with any step that would demoralise an officer and had a duty to protect officials who do "right things", he said rejecting all the charges made by Achuthanandan against Bhushan. Not satisfied with the reply of Chandy, Achuthanandan asked 'Are you ready to order a probe by CBI into the affairs?' Bharat Bhushan himself had denied the allegations raised by Achuthanandan, when the rift in the state civil service figured in the assembly last week.

The faction feud among IAS officers came to fore following a complaint given to the IAS Association by Printing and Stationary Secretary Raju Narayanaswamy, alleging that Bhushan had made adverse remarks against him in his annual appraisal report with personal bias.

Bhushan has said there was no basis for the charge that he 'harassed' and made adverse remarks in the appraisal report. With LDF seizing on the issue to attack UDF, Chandy had asked former cabinet secretary and Planning Board Vice-Chairman K B Chandrasekher to intervene and settle the matter.

PTI