Kollam: With the government resorting to inappropriate ways to shield the accused in Cashew Development Corporation's raw cashew corruption case, the possibility of prosecuting the wrongdoers now looks remote.
In the latest move, the government has decided not to grant permission for prosecuting former corporation chairman and INTUC state president R Chandrashekharan and former managing director of corporation K A Ratheesh based on legal advice.
The decision taken by fisheries and cashew industry Minister J Mercykutty Amma granting permission for prosecuting the accused has now been overturned following huge political pressure. According to available information, the government will soon convey to CBI its decision to deny permission for prosecution against the accused.
The case pertains to the huge losses incurred by the corporation in the procurement of raw cashew from 2006 to 2015. Ratheesh held the post of managing director of the corporation from 2005 to 2015 while Chandrashekharan was the chairman from 2012 to 2015. At present Rahteesh is posted as secretary Khadi Board.
The CBI had sought permission for prosecuting the accused after conducting a comprehensive probe for nearly 5 years. The case was registered in 2016 after Kerala high court ordered a detailed probe following a complaint alleging corruption to the tune of Rs 500 crore in the corporation in connection with the import of raw cashew.
Though the file pertaining to the case reached the chief of secretary's office in May, it remained there for months together without any action. It was only after the file reached Mercykutty Amma's office that she put her signatures on it and sent it to the chief minister's office. However, from the CMO the file was sent to the office of Director General of Prosecution for a legal opinion.
Chandrashekharan and Ratheesh's connections with the top brass of CPM and government came up for widespread discussion in the wake of the case dragging for years.
