All AI camera deals to be examined, govt barred from transferring funds for project: Kerala HC

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday said it needs to examine all the deals made by the state government for the implementation of the 'Safe Kerala' project involving the installation of AI surveillance cameras.

"All the deals in the Safe Kerala project must be examined. We should check whether the Treasury is in a deficit or surplus due to the project," the court said while considering a plea filed by Opposition leader VD Satheeshan and Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala seeking a court monitored enquiry into the project.

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice SVN Bhatti and Justice Basant Balaji also barred the government from transferring funds for the project without its approval.

Chennithala welcomed the court order and said that he would continue the legal battle.

The court has directed the state government, Keltron and several private companies, connected with the installation of artificial intelligence (AI) cameras  to spell out their stand on the plea.

The court issued notice to the state government, its transport, finance and industries departments, Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd (Keltron) and several private companies connected with the tender process and installation of the cameras under the project. The bench also directed the two Congress leaders -- Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan and his party colleague Ramesh Chennithala -- to file an additional affidavit "on their zero tolerance towards corruption". The court said it was seeking the affidavit in order to infuse more transparency in the decision-making process.

Automated Traffic Enforcement System for Safe Kerala Project was envisioned by the Transport Department to install AI cameras across the state for capturing traffic violations and issuing notice to the violators.

The present plea has been filed challenging the orders issued by the government, action taken by KELTRON, and the alleged illegalities and corruption attached to the installation of AI cameras that have resulted in nepotism, favouritism and corruption including violation of privacy of persons.

The plea avers that KELTRON submitted a DPR on the project with a cost estimate of Rs 236 crore and that the project could be executed in BOOT method.

However, the petitioners state that this was objected to by the Finance Department which claimed that KELTRON did not have the capacity or know-how on the subject and that its cost analysis and estimate was rudimentary and undependable. The petitioners allege that despite the same, "since the actual benefactors of the project had direct access to top most reaches of power, under political pressure, the objections of the Finance Department were swept under the carpet and administrative sanction was given to the project", and work order was issued to KELTRON.

The Congress leaders allege that KELTRON was just "one of the middlemen in the whole transaction which was a scam in the name of traffic safety".

The plea also stated SRIT, which emerged as the successful bidder for the Project, did not satisfy any of the minimum eligibility conditions, and that their only project experience was in 'another scam' called KFON.

"SRIT did not have any technical expertise in the field and was just an empty shell for the politicians and their family members who pulled the strings behind the entire project and were its actual benefactors," the plea states. It has also been averred that the the other companies who bid for the Project were all proxies of SRIT and their only role was to give the appearance of a transparent tender process.

The petitioners also alleged that corruption was involved while awarding subsequent tenders and sub-leasing the Service Level Agreement (SLA).

(With LiveLaw inputs.)