Ramesh Chennithala is protecting Vellapally, alleges VS Achuthanandan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala's statement that no complaint pertaining to the financial irregularities of SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan was pending before him is akin to police handing over the torch to the thief, Opposition leader V. S. Achuthanandan said here on Friday.

The complaints regarding microfinance irregularities accompanied with evidence are with the Home and Vigilance departments.

After having kept these files under the wraps with the blessings of the chief minister, Chennithala is now feigning ignorance about the complaints, Achuthanandan said.

He said the victims of the fraud had filed a complaint with the Chandera police station in Kasargod under Crime No. 250/2015.

After a preliminary probe, a report was submitted to the DGP and government seeking investigation by the Crime Branch as the matter pertained to the State Backward Classes Development Corporation.

As many as 16 cases have been registered in connection with the fraud committed by Vellapally in the microfinance scheme of which investigations had been completed in two as per information received under the Right to Information from the DGP's office. Besides, a case is also pending before the High Court in connection with the same fraud.

"Despite having so many petitions and cases, Chennithala's statement that the irregularities have not come to the state government's notice calls for exposing the hidden political agenda. The Congress move to save Natesan, who has been fleecing and defrauding poor people of the community, only reflected the black mail politics of that party," he said.

Earlier in the day, Sree Naryana Dharma Vedi office-bearers met Achuthanandan and handed over documents related to financial irregularities allegedly of Vellapally.

Dharma Vedi general secretary Biju Ramesh alleged that Vellapally and company had collected bribes worth Rs 350 crore for appointments in SN Trust and SNDP-led institutions between 1996 and 2013.

Biju Ramesh demanded a CBI probe into the financial irregularities committed by Vellapally and his family members.