Vigilance case against minister’s sister

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has registered a case against Ms Ambili Jacob, sister of Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob,  and Mr K. G. Girish Babu,  Technopark chief executive officer, in connection with her recruitment as marketing manager with the Kerala State IT Infrastructure Limited.

The Vigilance special investigation unit – I, which  found prima facie irregularities in the appointment of Ms. Jacob to the post in 2011, registered the case at the Inquiry Commissioner and Special Court (Vigilance) here last week.

Ms Jacob, who is the daughter of former irrigation minister T M Jacob, was appointed to the five-year contract job in February  2012 with a remuneration of around Rs. 50,000 at the time of joining.

According to the VACB, prima facie there were procedural irregularities in the appointment.  The five-year minimum experience norm prescribed for the post was found flouted.

After a first-round interview in  October 2011, a second-round was held about three months later in which Ms Jacob appeared.  Moreover, the then Kerala State IT Mission director A. Shajahan, who was the chairman of the selection board, was not present in the second round interview.

Though she produced a three-year experience certificate from ICICI-KINFRA and a certificate for two years from INKEL, it was found that she worked only for 10 months and 21 days in the bank and was on leave for the remaining period.

Mr. Girish Babu told DC that Ms Jacob was selected as she performed well in the interview. A second round  interview had to be conducted as some candidates complained that they could not turn up as the intimation was given at  short notice.

“The selection board chairman was held up in some meetings and hence he wanted us to begin the interview,” he said. The final selection of candidate was made with his consent only, he said.  

Mr Babu said the eligibility criteria of candidates, including experience, were verified by another senior official and hence the selection board members did not look into that aspect.

Ms Jacob said that the charges levelled against her were baseless.  “The vigilance has calculated my tenure in ICICI-KINFRA after deducting maternity leave, which is against norms,” she said. 

“Moreover, I got the job in INKEL only with the experience certificate from ICICI-KINFRA.” Ms Jacob said she got her job after the demise of her father and that it was based on her qualification and experience, which was evident from the bona fide documents she had produced.

 

 

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