Vigilance probe against Ramesh Chennithala

Thiruvanathapuram: Kerala’s opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala is facing a preliminary inquiry in the alleged corruption in allotting prison department’s land to a private trust during his tenure as home minister in the previous UDF government.

Kerala government has entrusted the inquiry with Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) special investigation unit-I

Reports say that VACB received a petition related to handover of about 2.5 acre land of Nettuka-Iltheri open prison in Kattakada, Thiruvanthapuram to a trust for a school.

The petition alleged corruption in handing over of the land for 30 years lease charging only 10 percent of the market value, overlooking prison department’s objections.

The government nodded in favour of VACB’s request for initiating inquiry into the petition.

Earlier, LDF government cancelled the previous government’s decision to handover the land.