4 months ago
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KOLLAM
The Kollam Vigilance tribunal is scheduled to present its verdict connected the bail exertion filed by Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru connected February 18 .
During the proceedings, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) opposed the plea earlier Vigilance Court justice C.S. Mohith, arguing that the accused should not beryllium granted bail until respective undisclosed slope accounts belonging to the Tantri and his household are afloat traced.
The probe squad informed the tribunal that they person already identified important deposits successful a backstage fiscal institution, including ₹2.05 crore successful the Tantri’s sanction and ₹62 lakh successful his wife’s name. According to the SIT, these accounts had not been reported to the Income Tax department.
The prosecution expressed interest that galore akin hidden accounts mightiness beryllium and argued that granting bail astatine this signifier would hinder the ongoing probe into these suspicious fiscal transactions.
The prosecution besides countered the defence’s assertion that the Tantri does not suffice arsenic a nationalist servant. They pointed retired that Kandararu Rajeevaru received ₹7.25 lakh from the Devaswom Board during the 2024–25 fiscal year, which legally classifies him arsenic a ‘public servant’ nether the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Furthermore, the SIT highlighted the Tantri’s adjacent narration with the premier accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, stating that their relation dates backmost to 2004, erstwhile they met astatine Sreeramapuram Ayyappa Temple successful Bengaluru.
In a related development, the tribunal is expected to regularisation connected the bail plea of N. Vasu, erstwhile president and commissioner of the Travancore Devaswom Board, connected Wednesday. The tribunal volition besides perceive arguments regarding the bail exertion of erstwhile Thiruvabharanam Commissioner K.S. Baiju. Both officials person remained successful custody for 90 days, and their ineligible teams are seeking statutory bail connected the grounds that the probe squad has failed to record a chargesheet wrong the stipulated timeframe.
Meanwhile, the judicial remand of erstwhile Devaswom Board president and ex-MLA A. Padmakumar was extended for different 14 days. Mr. Padmakumar was produced earlier the tribunal pursuing the expiry of his erstwhile remand period, and the justice ordered him to stay successful custody until February 24.
