Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 24 A statewide surprise inspection conducted by the VACB at the Kerala State Sports Council headquarters and 14 District Sports Council offices has detected widespread irregularities, including alleged lapses in fund utilisation, procurement procedures and management of sports equipment.
A statement by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Thursday said the inspection, code-named “Operation Kalikkalam” (Operation Playground), was conducted on Wednesday as part of the “Project Zero” initiative of the Vigilance to detect and prevent corruption and irregularities in government institutions.
According to the VACB, the preliminary findings of Operation Kalikkalam showed that most District Sports Councils failed to fully utilise funds received under the Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) scheme within the stipulated time, while the State Sports Council was found to have failed in proper supervision.
The VACB also found that athletes who did not qualify in district championships were allegedly allowed to participate in state championships and that sports equipment purchased using various funds was kept in storerooms without being distributed or properly utilised, officials said.
“In several districts, registration fees from athletes were collected through UPI transactions without issuing proper receipts, while tender or quotation procedures were allegedly not followed in awarding contracts and purchasing goods. Vouchers prepared for disbursing money often contained only the amount without other details,” the statement said.
At the State Sports Council headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, the VACB found that athletes who had left sports hostels continued to be included in attendance registers and expenses continued to be budgeted for them, officials said.
Sports equipment purchased by the council was allegedly not properly recorded in stock registers, while a consultant was allegedly appointed without formal government approval and various allowances were allegedly paid to a former State Sports Council president without clear sanction orders.
The VACB also found that a Technical Officer who permanently resided at the P T Usha Coaching Center was allegedly paid House Rent Allowance along with his salary from July 2022 to May 2026, it said.
A large quantity of sports equipment received from the National Games Academy and recorded as undistributed stock could not be traced during the inspection.
Five laptops listed in the stock register were also found missing, officials said.
In Alappuzha, sports equipment worth Rs 2.22 lakh was allegedly purchased without following tender procedures, while chemicals worth Rs 12 lakh required for the Raja Kesavadas Swimming Pool were allegedly purchased without following tender procedures and without proper stock entries, officials said.
A maintenance contract for the pool was also allegedly awarded without inviting tenders, it said.
In Kottayam, different rental rates were allegedly charged for the same indoor stadium, while registration fees were allegedly collected through UPI without issuing receipts. Shortages of sports equipment recorded in the stock register were also detected, officials said.
In Ernakulam, 93 sports kits received under the ‘Kick Drugs’ scheme were found stored without being entered in the stock register or distributed.
In Thrissur, 10 shop rooms at the Aquatic Complex under the District Sports Council were allegedly given free of charge without collecting rent, while bills relating to Rs 15.40 lakh spent under the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan scheme remained unsubmitted, the statement said.
In Kozhikode, files relating to several projects were missing, sports equipment remaining after distribution could not be traced and air conditioners received through the State Sports Council were not entered in the property register.
The VACB also found that Rs 1.30 crore from security deposits collected for renting out rooms owned by the District Sports Council had allegedly been diverted, officials said.
In Kasaragod, two athletes who failed to qualify in a district-level archery championship in 2025 were allegedly allowed to participate in the state championship.
“An Office Assistant also allegedly received Rs 38,400 through Google Pay from a contractor of the swimming pool under the Kasaragod Sports Council,” it said.
Vigilance Director Manoj Abraham, in the statement, said detailed follow-up investigations would be conducted into the irregularities detected during Operation Kalikkalam and strict legal action would be taken against those responsible.
(PTI News)
