Larger Bench to hear corruption case against Kerala CM Vijayan

In a major relief for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Kerala Lok Ayukta referred the case over alleged misappropriation of Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) referred to a larger bench.

The verdict comes as interim relief for Vijayan, who will get some more time before the larger bench delivers the final verdict on the case.

The petitioner had approached the Kerala High Court last week seeking its intervention that things have now speeded up.

The High Court asked the petitioner to approach the Lokayukta with his petition and it was after this ruling came, that the Lokayukta decided to take up the case on Friday.

The plea filed by Public activist R.S. Sasikumar was submitted to the anti-corruption ombudsman in September 2018 and the hearing concluded on March 18, 2022.

Sasikumar had alleged that the money was given to those who were not supposed to get the relief. These included the family of a deceased CPI(M) legislator, the family of a top leader from a Left ally who passed away, and also to a Kerala Police officer who died when his vehicle met with an accident while accompanying then top leader of the CPI(M), Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.