KOCHI: In a major legal development in the high-profile microfinance scam, the Director of the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has formally approved the first charge sheet against Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam General Secretary Vellappally Natesan. The specialized probe into a financial fraud involving ₹10 lakh linked to the Wayanad Union of the organization has been fully completed. The investigation team officially informed the Kerala High Court regarding the approval. Vellappally Natesan and several other local leaders have been named as the primary accused in the case. The probers also noted that the investigation into two more related corruption cases has reached its final stage.
The development comes closely on the heels of the Kerala High Court raising severe criticisms and issuing a stern warning to the anti-corruption agency during a recent hearing. The court sharply criticized the investigating officer for failing to submit a definitive progress report despite repetitive and strict judicial directives. Observing that the current officer seemingly lacked the time to manage the high-profile case, a single bench of Justice A. Badharudeen warned that if a comprehensive report is not filed within three weeks, SP S. Sasidharan would be abruptly removed from the investigation. The court stated that another competent officer would be assigned to spearhead the probe. Warning the agency not to take judicial orders lightly, the single bench also observed that the investigating officer appeared to be working under significant external pressures.
The controversial microfinance case dates back to 2016, when the investigation was originally initiated following a petition filed by the former Chief Minister of Kerala, V.S. Achuthanandan, in the Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance Court. According to the prosecution case, the top leadership of the SNDP Yogam had drawn crores of rupees as low-interest loans from the Kerala State Backward Classes Development Corporation (KSBCDC) under the pretext of funding microfinance schemes for marginalized communities. The funds were meant to be systematically disbursed to grassroot beneficiaries through various local SNDP branches. However, the vigilance case alleges that the heavily subsidized financial aid never reached the intended poor beneficiaries, and the bulk amounts were systematically misappropriated and defaulted.
ലഘു വിവരണം
കോളിളക്കം സൃഷ്ടിച്ച മൈക്രോ ഫിനാൻസ് തട്ടിപ്പ് കേസിൽ എസ്.എൻ.ഡി.പി യോഗം ജനറൽ സെക്രട്ടറി വെള്ളാപ്പള്ളി നടേശനെതിരായ ആദ്യ കുറ്റപത്രത്തിന് വിജിലൻസ് ഡയറക്ടർ അനുമതി നൽകി. വയനാട് യൂണിയനിൽ നടന്ന 10 ലക്ഷം രൂപയുടെ തട്ടിപ്പുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട അന്വേഷണ റിപ്പോർട്ടാണ് ഹൈക്കോടതിയിൽ സമർപ്പിച്ചത്. കേസ് അന്വേഷണത്തിൽ വീഴ്ച വരുത്തിയ വിജിലൻസ് എസ്.പിക്ക് എതിരെ ഹൈക്കോടതി കടുത്ത മുന്നറിയിപ്പ് നൽകിയതിന് തൊട്ടുപിന്നാലെയാണ് ഈ നിർണ്ണായക നീക്കം. 2016-ൽ വി.എസ് അച്യുതാനന്ദൻ നൽകിയ പരാതിയിലാണ് കേസ് രജിസ്റ്റർ ചെയ്തിരുന്നത്.
(With inputs from MN)
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