Koliyakod's relative got job flouting rules, alleges PK Firoz

KOZHIKODE: Muslim Youth League state general secretary P.K. Firoz has alleged that Higher Education Minister K.T. Jaleel has blackmailed the CPM to prevent it from taking action against him for the controversial appointment of his cousin K.T. Adeeb as the general manager of Kerala State Minority Development Finance Corporation (KSMDFC). 

Mr Firoz alleged that Mr Jaleel has threatened to expose the appointment of CPM leader Koliyakod Krishnan Nair's kin in a top post ignoring merit. 

"D.S. Neelakantan, son of Koliyakod's brother, was appointed as Information Kerala Mission (IKM) deputy director (technical) in 2017 flouting rules through the influence of CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. If the CPM takes action against Jaleel for nepotism, he warned that he would expose the appointment of Neelakantan. This is why Jaleel remains untouched," alleged Mr Firoz.

At that time, IKM, attached to the local self-government department (LSGD), was under Mr Jaleel. Later, LSGD was given to minister A.K. Moideen. 

"Neelakantan's appointment was made by M.K. Raghavan, a personal staff member of Jaleel and the then department secretary Seeram Sambasiva Rao without the knowledge of Jaleel. Raghavan was the assistant private secretary of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan when he was the home minister," said Mr Firoz. 

"A new post of deputy director (technical) was created at IKM to appoint Mr Neelakantan. Out of the 37 who applied for the post, 13 were included in the short list in which a candidate Santhosh Melakkalathil came first. But Neelakantan was given high marks during interview and he was chosen with a monthly salary of Rs 1 lakh. The contract is for five years and he was given 10 per cent salary hike also," Mr Firoz said.