As Kerala govt backs Jaleel, Oppn demands his resignation
Thiruvananthapuram: The ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday rallied behind the beleaguered state higher education minister K T Jaleel who was found guilty by Lokayukta for appointing his cousin in an important post flouting all norms
Thiruvananthapuram:
The ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday rallied behind the beleaguered state higher education minister K T Jaleel who was found guilty by Lokayukta for appointing his cousin in an important post flouting all norms.
Speaking to the media, law minister A K Balan said there was no need for the minister to resign now. “No law states that a relative can’t be appointed. He did not even complete one month after his appointment. There is no need of resignation based on the observations of a lower court,” said the minister. Later, Jaleel also took to social media saying he will approach the high court on Monday against the verdict.
The Lokayukta on Friday found him guilty of nepotism and abuse of power in the appointment of his second cousin K T Adeeb as the general manager of the Kerala State Minorities Development Finance Corporation Limited. It also observed that he can’t continue in the post and recommended the chief minister to take appropriate action against him. Balan, however, said the CM has three months to take a decision on this and there was no need for the minister to rush to tender his resignation.
Even as the government defended the minister, the opposition stepped up pressure for his resignation. “If an iota of morality was left in the CM he should sack the minister immediately,” said opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala. Minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan, also hailing from the state, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan should expel him for violating his oath of office.
There was a big uproar when Adeeb was appointed allegedly flouting all norms and later he was forced to resign in 2018. Later in 2019, a lawyer V K Mohammad Shafi, known to be close to Muslim League,had field a compliant with the Lokayukta which on Friday agreed with the contention of the petitioner that he was appointed flouting all norms.
A controversial minister, his name was also figured in the gold smuggling case. After the gold smuggling case involving the UAE consulate came to light in March 2020; Jaleel was questioned by the customs and Enforcement Directorate on several occasions. Trouble began for him after phone call records of Swapna Suresh, main accused in the case, were leaked to the media. The minister’s phone number figured prominently in her list. Soon after the list came out, the minister said he called Suresh as a consular employee in connection with Ramadan kits offered by the UAE consulate in the state capital.
Hailing from Muslim -majority Malappuram district, he had earlier created enough headaches for the government in alleged mark donation move to a failed student and other cases but his proximity to the CM saved him from major troubles. A former member of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) he later joined the Muslim League. He later left the League and joined the LDF camp and he was instrumental in CPI(M) getting some inroads in Muslim heartland of Malappuram.