Kochi, Oct 29 A vigilance court in Muvattupuzha on Thursday sentenced three persons, including two former engineers of the Local Self-Government Department, to five years of rigorous imprisonment each in a corruption case related to a 2011 drinking water project in Idukki district.
Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court Judge Rajesh G convicted S Rajendran (70), former executive engineer of the Devikulam LSGD sub-division; Jose P Moses (61), former assistant engineer of the LSGD’s Adimali section; and Veeran Subran (60), convenor of the Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission project committee.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh each.
The case relates to alleged financial irregularities in the implementation of a drinking water project at the Chooravettankudy Scheduled Tribe colony in Adimali grama panchayat during 2010-11.
A committee was formed to implement the project, and the construction work was entrusted to it under a contract.
Rajendran and Moses were responsible for supervising the project, while Subran was its convenor.
The prosecution alleged that the construction work was not carried out as per the contractual conditions and remained incomplete. However, the accused allegedly recorded false measurements in the measurement book, showing the work as completed, and passed the final bill.
The three accused allegedly shared Rs 1,15,825 through irregularities, following which the VACB’s Idukki unit registered a case. After completing the investigation, the agency filed a chargesheet.
Public prosecutors Saritha V A and Divya S appeared for the Vigilance Department.
Former Deputy Superintendents of Police Krishnankutty and Ratheesh Krishnan, along with former inspectors Sam Jose and C K Babu of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), investigated the case.
(PTI News)
