In a state-wide probe by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) in connection with the widespread misuse of the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF), massive corruption and fraud were unearthed. The probe reveals that senior government officials in collectorate offices misused their positions to approve applications submitted through their agents.
It was found that a huge amount of money was handed over to ineligible applicants, mostly financially well-off individuals through fraudulent means where ‘middlemen’ and agents too managed to swindle large sums of money as commission.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called for a detailed probe on the matter and has assured that all those involved in the forgery and corruption will be arrested and has given the instructions for the probe on the matter.
The Vigilance will also suggest starting a special team in all 14 collectorates to check the authenticity of the requests seeking financial aid. It will also recommend the government to take action against the officials, who helped ineligible people get aid from the CMDRF.
For instance, in one such case, a single applicant was found to have received aid three times from Kottayam and Idukki collectorates. He received Rs 5,000 for heart disease from Kottayam in 2017 and two years later he received Rs 10,000 from Idukki for the same ailment. The same person received Rs 10,000 for cancer treatment from Idukki in 2020.
“It was during random checks that we came across severe irregularities. That means the actual number of such cases will be very high. Hence, we will recommend to the state government to conduct auditing of the CMDRF spending every six months to ensure that only eligible beneficiaries get the support,” said Vigilance Director Manoj Abraham while speaking to the press in Trivandrum .
In another instance in West Kallada in Kollam, a person, whose house was still intact, was given `4 lakhs over a claim that 76% of his house suffered damage in a natural disaster. The house owner told Vigilance that he did not give the application nor did government officials come for a site inspection. The amount credited to his account still remained untouched, he told Vigilance sleuths.
Manoj Abraham said the probe will continue in the coming days. “We will verify the authenticity of income and medical certificates besides probing the commission received by officers and agents,” he said. He urged the public to share information on corruption through the toll-free number 1064, 8592900900 or on WhatsApp at 9447789100.
