Thomas Isaac | File PhotoThiruvananthapuram: Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac Sunday backed additional chief secretary (finance) K M Abraham, whose house was recently inspected by vigilance in connection with a disproportionate assets case, saying the officer had an impressive track record against corruption.
"The track record of Abraham, a former board member of the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) who had investigated the high profile Sahara case was impressive, which is clear from the stand he had taken in various corruption cases," Issac told reporters.
He had taken a strong stand against corruption while working under the central government and later with the state government, he said.
For corruption during the previous UDF regime in the state, it is not officials, but those ruling who were responsible, he added.
Vigilance had recently conducted an "inspection" of his house here against which the official had complained to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
In his complaint, Abraham had alleged that Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau director Jacob Thomas was acting "vengefully" against him.
"Jacob is acting vengefully against me in retaliation for having recommended disciplinary action against him in the finance Inspection report for irregularities committed by him and causing loss to public exchequer when he was the port director", Abraham had said.
The minister said if there were any lapses in the vigilance inspection, the chief minister would look into it.
When the matter figured in the Assembly, Vijayan had informed the House that government would also examine whether all procedures had been followed while conducting the inspection of Abraham's residence.
(With agency inputs)
