Plan for graft first, then projects: Chennithala alleges pattern in Pinarayi govt’s corruptions

Kochi: The opposition Congress on Thursday challenged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to come clean on the corruption allegations over the AI camera deal even as it came out with more charges against the CPM-led Left Front government over the Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON) project.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, in the latest in a series of press meets he has been holding over the issues, made a scathing attack on the chief minister and the CPM, saying the government’s mastery over scientifically committing corruption was evident in the AI camera deal also. He said the chief minister has been keeping mum even after allegations have been made against his relatives because all evidence is against him.

Stating that there was a pattern in the alleged corruption by the Pinarayi government, Chennithala sought a judicial inquiry into all the deals involving the IT and Industries departments since 2018.

“After M Shivshankar was appointed the IT secretary, the department became a treasure trove of corruption. There’s a pattern in all the corruption cases against the government. First projects are designed in a way corruption could be facilitated,” he said.

Chennithala warned officials behind the AI camera project of encountering the fate of Shivashankar. The IAS officer, who is accused in the gold smuggling and Life Mission corruption cases, is in jail now.

Chennithala said the government has committed an 'organised loot' in the KFON and AI deals by colluding with the companies involved in the projects.

"In the KFON project, a sum of Rs 363 crore was allocated for maintenance for seven years. The tender was given to the consortium including SRIT-Bharat Electronics consortium, including this amount. However, the government called for a tender again for maintenance on February 20, 2023. Then IT Infrastructure Ltd issued an order on March 24, 2023, approving the tender submitted by SRIT. As per this, 10-12 per cent of the revenue of KFON could be paid to the company. Why did the government decide to pay such an amount to SRIT after allocating Rs 363 crore initially? What's it if not robbery," Chennithala asked.

He said the companies participated in the bidding for the AI camera project after engaging in the KFON deal.

The former leader of the opposition said SRIT which won the bidding for the KFON project for a sum of Rs 313 crore had allowed a sub-contract to Ashoka Buildcon Ltd in 2019.

"It needs to be inquired if Asokas had the technological competence to carry out such a huge project. Ashoka, in turn, granted a sub-contract to Presadio Technologies, owned by the chief minister's relative," Chennithala alleged. SRIT and Presadio are involved in the AI camera project too.

Chennithala made the allegations on KFON close on the heels of Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan said there was massive corruption in the project. Chennithala reiterated that he was meeting the media after discussions with Satheesan and state Congress chief K Sudhakaran.

Asked if he got the kind of support he was extending to the current opposition leader during his term in office, he said he did not want to dig into the past. “I have always fought corruption and I will continue to do so,” he said.