Corpn. seeks action against corrupt officials

Meeting asks govt. to prioritise such probes and dismiss those found guilty

A meeting of the city Corporation council on Saturday recommended to the State government to take action, including termination of service, against employees found to be involved in corruption, in light of the recent corruption allegations against some officials. Mayor Arya Rajendran, who read out the demand in the council meeting, said that investigation in such cases should be completed on priority, following which those found to be in the wrong should be dismissed from service.

Cashier’s suspension

The Mayor also presented for ratification by the council the suspension proceedings against Anilkumar, cashier at the Kazhakuttom zonal office of the civic body, who was suspended on Friday following an inquiry that revealed that he had misappropriated funds collected using cancelled receipts for tar-cutting in the 2019-20 period. Councillors of the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who supported the recommendation moved by the Mayor, however, said that the suspension of some of the officials of some zonal offices, who were accused of revenue fund misappropriation in recent months, was not ratified in the council.

Left Democratic Front (LDF) councillor Amshu Vamadevan said that the suspension was ratified in a council meeting held on October 5. BJP councillor V. Girikumar countered this claiming that it was done in a special council meeting, in which other subjects cannot be taken up. The BJP had also boycotted the meeting.

‘Quick action’

The Mayor, in her reply to the discussions, said that the civic body had taken quick action after information on fund misappropriation in tar-cutting was received on December 16. The investigation was completed quickly and the accused official suspended the next day. A case was registered at the Kazhakuttom police station on Saturday morning. The internal investigation will continue on whether similar instances of financial fraud have taken place in other zonal offices and in the main office.

Revenue collection up

She said the Corporation had witnessed a major jump in revenue collections in the period during which the revenue fund misappropriation controversy was going on. This reflected the trust that the people had in the administration, which had taken concrete actions against the wrongdoers, said the Mayor.

Earlier, CPI(M) councillor Clinus Rozario, who won from the Vettucaud ward in the recent byelection, was sworn in at a ceremony organised before the council meeting.

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