Kochi: In a rare case, a vicar moved the Vigilance court against a Road Transport Office official alleging corruption. The Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court ordered a quick verification against Ajimon Varghese, a head clerk attached to the Joint RTO, North Paravur. Fr Tuby Baby, vicar of the St Mary's Orthodox Syrian Church, Cherai moved the court. According to the complainant Ajimon Varghese, Head Clerk of Jt RTO North Paravur amassed wealth disproportionate to his income by abusing his position. He colluded with the village officer of Pallipuram Village, secretary of the Pallipuram Grama Panchayat, asst. engineer, KSEB and the asst. executive engineer of Kerala Water Authority sub division, the vicar alleged.
He argued that Ajimon had fabricated documents showing a new trust Cherai St Mary’s Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church and had taken KSEB, water connection, etc by misappropriating the trust fund of the church. He further submitted that under the influence of Ajimon, others had issued false ownership certificate and panchayat had issued a new building number to him. Considering the arguments, P. Madhavan, the inquiry commissioner and special judge observed, “On a perusal it seems that most of the allegations in the complain is civil in nature. The complainant can obtain relief from the civil court in such matters.”
The judge, however, found that the allegation that Ajimon amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income in the complaint came squarely within the ambit of Prevention of Corruption Act. He made it clear that the materials produced before the court is not sufficient to register a case against the respondent. The court forwarded the complaint to Special Cell, VACB Ernakulam to conduct a quick verification of the allegation in the complaint against Ajimon. The court asked the vigilance to file a report in one month.
