Kerala High Court Initiates CBI Inquiry into CM Vijayan's Chief Secretary's Wealth
Click to start listening
Synopsis
The Kerala High Court has ordered a CBI investigation into the wealth of K.M. Abraham, chief principal secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The order follows a petition highlighting alleged hidden assets, with public activist Joemon Puthenpurackal leading the charge.
Key Takeaways
- K.M. Abraham faces a CBI probe into his wealth.
- Petition filed by activist Joemon Puthenpurackal.
- Abraham's wealth allegedly exceeds known income sources.
- Former Vigilance Director questions Abraham's position.
- Abraham previously served on the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
Kochi, April 11 (NationPress) In a significant setback for K.M. Abraham, who serves as the chief principal secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and is a former chief secretary, the Kerala High Court has ordered a CBI investigation into his wealth.
In response to the court's directive, Abraham expressed that he "wholeheartedly welcomes" the CBI inquiry.
The investigation was prompted by a petition for a CBI probe filed by noted public activist Joemon Puthenpurackal.
Puthenpurackal asserted to the press that Abraham has been attempting to hide his assets for an extended period, and despite his efforts to evade scrutiny, the High Court recognized the validity of the petition and mandated a CBI probe.
“He is likely to follow in the footsteps of Sivasankar (the former principal secretary of CM Vijayan who faced jail time on two occasions) as Abraham has been abusing his authority to obstruct any investigation,” Puthenpurackal stated.
In addition to his role as chief principal secretary to CM Vijayan, Abraham is also the CEO of the state-owned Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).
Following the court's ruling, Jacob Thomas, the former Vigilance Director, commented, "The Vigilance Court initiated a probe against Abraham and me back in 2016. I pressed on with the investigation, but he made every effort to halt it using his influence, given his significant position at that time. Now, the Chief Minister has a responsibility to address why Abraham remains in such a prominent role. The CM must provide clarity,” said the former Director General of Police.
The petitioner, Puthenpurackal, has dedicated nearly a decade to this case, during which he has gathered evidence indicating that Abraham has amassed assets beyond his known sources of income.
Puthenpurackal claims that Abraham possesses properties in Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kollam. Moreover, he has been servicing monthly loan payments that exceed his income.
At 66 years old, Abraham retired as Chief Secretary in December 2017 and has since maintained a close association with CM Vijayan's office.
He is widely recognized for his tenure as a member of the Securities and Exchange Board of India from 2008 to 2011.
During his time at SEBI, he uncovered financial misconduct at Sahara India, resulting in the Supreme Court affirming his judgment. As of March 31, 2021, SEBI had reclaimed ₹15,473 crores out of ₹23,000 crores from the Sahara Group of Companies (SHICL and SIRECL), marking the largest financial penalty in market history.
He managed the secondary markets, investigative and surveillance divisions, as well as international affairs during his SEBI tenure.
Notably, Puthenpurackal is also recognized for his role in the 1992 Sister Abhaya case, where two Catholic priests and a nun were convicted of her murder after 28 years. He established an action council, believing that Sister Abhaya was murdered, and successfully advocated for justice.
