Now Reading: Kerala HC orders SNDP scam officer to appear, prosecution sanction for Vellappally
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Kerala HC orders SNDP scam officer to appear, prosecution sanction for Vellappally
Kerala HC orders SNDP scam officer to appear, prosecution sanction for Vellappally
The Kerala High Court has directed investigating officer S. Sasidharan IPS to personally appear before it on August 14 over the slow progress in the Rs 15.85 crore SNDP microfinance scam case.…
The Story in Brief
The Kerala High Court has directed investigating officer S. Sasidharan IPS to personally appear before it on August 14 over the slow progress in the Rs 15.85 crore SNDP microfinance scam case. The court also asked the Additional Chief Secretary of the Backward Classes Development department to consider the SIT's request for prosecution sanction against SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan and six others in three cases related to the misappropriation of loans disbursed by the Kerala State Backward Classes Development Corporation between 2003 and 2014.
Justice A. Badharudheen expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation report, which showed that out of 124 cases, only nine final reports were pending before vigilance courts while 30 cases had been dropped with the VACB director's approval. The court gave the investigating officer seven days to finalise the sanction process and 20 days to finish verification in remaining cases.
The Indian Opinion
The court's impatience with the pace of the SNDP scam probe is understandable. For over a year, extensions were granted, yet only a fraction of cases have reached final report stage. The narrative that powerful figures are shielded from prosecution gains traction when investigations drag on. But the court has now set firm deadlines. The real test will be whether the SIT completes verification in the remaining cases within 20 days, and how many of the recommended prosecutions actually lead to convictions.
Sources (2): livelaw.in, thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
