Graft looms over Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation

KOLLAM: Corruption continues to cast a shadow over the Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation as the LDF  government has not changed its tainted executive officers. Whistle-blower Kadakampally Manoj has alleged that the corporation had made cashew purchase deals violating tender norms during the last two months.

“The corporation had opened the lowest quote to purchase Guinea Bissau cashew on November 19 and another to purchase Tanzanian cashew on November 22. During the board meeting, it was decided to cancel the tender quoted for Guinea Bissau cashew and  buy 5,000 tonnes of cashew from Tanzania at a rate of $2,350 per tonne. The corporation made agreements with the company to provide the cashew by December 9,  but it failed to supply the cashew. This agreement was subsequently cancelled on December 20, the tender cancelled earlier was restored  and cashew was  purchased,”  Mr Kadakampally Manoj alleged.

“It is illegal to reopen the cancelled tender to purchase cashew after nearly a month. The company that failed to honour the agreement has not been blacklisted yet and the EMD and security deposit were also released. This is a case of nepotism in which the corporation has helped the company and exempted it from penal action. The old documents pertaining to the deal were also removed from the website of the corporation,” Mr. Manoj alleged.

“The trade dealings after office time should be banned  to make them transparent. A caucus of executive officers are behind the corruption. Expelling former MD K. A. Ratheesh alone would not be sufficient to tackle corruption.  Five executive officers were appointed by Mr. Ratheesh during his tenure and they are behind the corruption,” Mr. Manoj claimed. Mr Manoj has filed a petition with the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau which has started a quick verification on the case and collected documents related to the deal.