Govt should come clean on Law Academy properties: VS

Thiruvananthapuram: Former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan on Thursday wrote yet another letter to the State Revenue Minister, asking him to ensure that all aspects of the land owned by the Kerala Law Academy are scrutinised properly.

Achuthanandan is known for his tirades against corruption and his letter came a day after the 29-day-long protest action by the academy's students -- which got support of all political parties and students organisations -- ended successfully with the removal of principal Lekshmi Nair.

Achuthanandan, in an earlier letter to Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekheran in January, caused embarrassment to the Pinarayi Vijayan government asking for a probe into various allegations, saying nearly 12 acres of land has been usurped by Narayanan Nair, Director of the five-decade-old Academy and father of Lekshmi Nair.

The preliminary report of the probe reveals that the academy is in possession of land more than the normally required land for a law college.

In late 1960s, almost 12 acres of land was given to the academy, which was then run by a trust that included the state Governor, Chief Minister, and judges of the high court, among others. It is after the student protests intensified, it came to light that there is a new board under Narayanan Nair which runs the academy.

In the letter on Thursday, Achuthanandan asked the Minister to ensure probe into all the title deeds of the land owned by the academy.

Achuthanandan has specifically demanded that a proper probe should be conducted into the prime land owned by the academy in the heart of the state capital, where a huge building complex, which includes residential flats and commercial spaces, were built under a joint venture agreement with a private builder.