SNDP microfinance: Court asks Vigilance to file report by May 31

Thiruvananthapuram: A special court Saturday asked Vigilance and Anti-Corruption bureau to file by May 31 its report on alleged irregularities in a microfinance scheme run by Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, led by Vellappally Natesan, after the Bureau sought more time.

When the matter was taken up, Inquiry Commissioner and Special Judge (Vigilance) John K Illikandan asked investigators to file the report by May 31 in the politically significant case, filed by CPI(M) leader and state opposition leader V S Achuthanandan.

The vigilance bureau, which had earlier been asked to file its report today, sought two more months time to verify more documents. It was submitted that 15 witnesses had been examined and 50 documents verified in the case.

Achuthanandan's counsel opposed any further extension of time to vigilance and requested the court to give an ultimatum to the probe team to submit its report.

Based on the petition filed by Achuthanandan, the vigilance court had ordered a preliminary inquiry into alleged irregularities in the microfinance scheme on January 20.

The leader had sought a probe against SNDP General Secretary Natesan, SNDP Yogam President M N Soman, Micro Finance Co-ordinator K K Maheshan and former Backward Commission Corporation MD N Najeeb for alleged corruption to a tune of Rs 15 crore in disbursement of finance under the scheme.

In the petition, he had alleged that huge amounts of money had been taken as loans by the operators of the Yogam's micro finance scheme from the government's Backward Classes Development Corporation and nationalised banks at five and four per cent interest respectively and distributed at higher interest rates to the beneficiaries.

SNDP is a social organisation of the backward Ezhava community in the state. In December last, it launched its political outfit Bharat Dharma Jana Sena which has tied up with the BJP for the May 16 assembly polls.