VS Achuthanandan pats V S Sunil Kumar for raid on Horticorp stall

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM leader V. S. Achuthanandan has congratulated   Agriculture Minister V. S. Sunil Kumar on  raiding  the Horticorp stall at Anayara World Market and   suspending Horticorp managing director M. Suresh Kumar on Thursday.  In a congratulatory note, Mr. Achuthanandan recalled how he had highlighted the corruption in Horticorp during his tenure as Opposition Leader. He alleged that Horticorp officials had  been getting huge kickbacks as  commission from the vegetable lobby.

“Despite the LDF government returning to power, the Horticorp officials continued their shady business. Sunil Kumar should be congratulated on  putting a stop to this which will enable the consumers to get good quality organic vegetables at affordable rates,” said Mr. Achuthanandan. Mr Sunil Kumar ordered a raid at Anayara World Market on Thursday after there were complaints that  poor quality vegetables were sold at Horticorp outlets.

By late evening, the minister  suspended MD  M. Suresh Kumar and entrusted agriculture secretary Raju Narayana Swamy with the additional charge. He has also ordered a Vigilance inquiry into the procurement and sale of vegetables by Horticorp. A vegetable company, Kamaraj Vegetable Traders,  operating at Anayara World Trade Market had urged the agriculture department to pay Rs 2.38 crore due to them when agriculture ministry officials smelled something fishy. This led the agriculture minister to order a raid at  6 a.m. on Thursday which caught the Horticorp officials by surprise.