Kerala High Court issues notice to TVM Mayor Arya Rajendran on plea for CBI probe into controversial letter

The Kerala High Court on Thursday issued notice to Thiruvananthapuram Mayor, Arya Rajendran, on a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe or a judicial enquiry into a letter that was allegedly sent by her seeking a list of members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M], for appointment to various posts in the Health Division of the Municipal Corporation [GS Sreekumar v State of Kerala & Ors.].

Justice K Babu also issued notice to the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Parliamentary Party Secretary, DR Anil, on the plea moved by one GS Sreekumar, an Ex-Councillor of the Medical College Ward in Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation.

The plea alleged that the Mayor, along with the LDF Parliamentary Party Secretary, had requested the CPI(M) Party District Secretary to provide the list of party members for appointment to various posts in the Health Division of the Municipal Corporation on a contract basis.

The petitioner argued that the acts of nepotism of Rajendran and Anil are against the oath taken by them at the time of swearing as Councillors of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.

He further alleged that in the last two years, more than a thousand appointments were made in the said manner, and, therefore, a detailed investigation is necessary in this matter.

The petitioner claimed that he apprehends that there are powerful persons to help the Mayor and the LDF Parliamentary Party Secretary to hush up the matter even though the petitioner had filed a complaint before the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Therefore, the petitioner approached the court to direct investigation by an impartial authority, either the CBI or a judicial enquiry headed by a a sitting judge not below the rank of the Subordinate Judge.

The matter will be taken up next on November 25.

The petitioner is represented by advocates KR Rajkumar, Jagadeesh Lakshman and Rahul Raj.