Quick verification against K M Abraham for another charge

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vigilance director Jacob Thomas has ordered a quick verification into yet another charge against additional chief secretary K.M. Abraham. This time the top bureaucrat has been put under the scanner for allegedly misusing his position as Higher Education secretary, during which time he also held the charge of Kerala University vice chancellor. Mr Abraham is already under Vigilance investigation for allegedly having assets disproportionate to his income.

The QV has been ordered on the basis of a complaint filed by former University College principal Dr Sarath Chandran who incidentally was suspended by Mr Abraham when he was holding the charge of vice chancellor. One of the charges is that Mr Abraham had appointed ineligible grade-4 librarians in private colleges and granted them UGC pay package.

Consequently, the complaint states that the salary of these librarians shot up from Rs 35,000 to Rs 75,000 monthly. The loss to the state as a result was Rs 20 crore, the complaint stated. The state had been suffering the loss for the last 12 years, the complaint further adds. Dr Sarath Chandran also charged that Mr Abraham had violated UGC norms for the appointment of principals and teachers.