Bribery case: CPM tells Thodupuzha municipality chairman to resign

The CPI (M) Idukki district leadership has demanded the resignation of the chairman of Thodupuzha municipality, Sanish George who is an accused in a corruption case. The CPI (M) leadership had said that he should resign today. CPM Idukki District Secretary C V Varghese said that in the wake of recent events, the party has asked him to step down and that he was supposed to resign on Tuesday. Sanish George contested as a UDF rebel independent in the local body election. After winning the election, Sanish George joined the LDF.

Sanish George has already handed over the charge to the Vice Chairman Jessy Antony, even before the LDF leadership intervened. An FIR was registered against the chairman as the second accused based on a statement given by the school authorities in the case where the assistant engineer took a bribe of Rs 1 lakh for issuing fitness certificate.

The vigilance team reached the house of Sanish on Saturday but could not take his statement. A notice was given to appear before the vigilance this week. In the meeting of the CPI-M Parliamentary Party held on Monday, the chairman has reportedly announced that he would resign. A vigilance case was registered after he allegedly acted as an intermediary for the Assistant Engineer Aji C T to collect bribe and issue fitness certificate to the school. The case was registered on the basis of an alleged voice clip of the chairman in which he was heard saying that fitness certificate would be issued upon payment of bribe.

Aji and his friend Roshan were arrested by a team led by Idukki Vigilance DYSP Shaju Jose. Following the incident, the opposition parties UDF and BJP staged strong protests and demanded the resignation of the chairman. Leader of the Opposition, Advocate Joseph John, said that there was no moral ground for Saneesh George to continue as the Chairman.