Kalpetta: The Congress leadership in Wayanad has been caught grappling with bribe for job scam following the suicide of Wayanad District Congress Committee (DCC) treasurer N M Vijayan and his son Jijesh.

Documents have surfaced which show that Vijayan had allegedly taken bribe for securing jobs in cooperative banks ruled by Congress. The CPM has launched an agitation demanding an investigation into the suicide of Vijayan. One of the documents being circulated is an agreement of  Vijayan with a person showing a transaction of Rs 30 lakhs in return for jobs in the cooperative banks ruled by the Congress.

A letter allegedly written by Vijayan to KPCC president K Sudhakaran demanding urgent intervention in the matter has also emerged, leaving the Congress party on a weak spot. CPM leader P R Jayaprakash alleged that Vijayan ended his life because he was unable to repay the huge sums received as bribes by Congress leaders from various persons offering jobs in the Cooperative Urban Bank, Sulthan Bathery ruled by the Congress. He said that CPM would launch an agitation against the rampant corruption in the Urban Bank, Sulthan Bathery and expose the true colours of the Congress leaders. CPM has announced a protest march to the office of tainted MLA I C Balakrishnan at Sulthan Bathery on Monday.

According to an agreement dated October 9, 2019, reportedly signed by the late Vijayan with Peter Master, a native of Ambalavayal, an amount of Rs 30 lakh was received from Peter by Vijayan to provide a job for his son to the first vacancy that emerged in any of the cooperative banks ruled by the Congress including the Service Cooperative Bank, Madakkimala, Cooperative Urban Bank, Sulthan Bathery and Service Cooperative Bank, Poothadi. The amount was given to Vijayan on the assurance given by Balakrishnan, who was also the then DCC president, shows the document. If the son of Peter failed to get the job, Vijayan would ensure that the amount would be returned with 7 per cent interest to Peter and for assurance a blank cheque from Vijayan was given to Peter, according to the document.

Balakrishnan denied all the allegations and reiterated that the documents being circulated were fake. "I would submit a complaint to the District Police chief demanding an investigation. The documents now in circulation are part of a fake complaint earlier submitted to the KPCC and were treated accordingly," he said.

DCC president N D Appachan said that he would demand a party-level inquiry into all the allegations levelled against Balakrishnan. "Though the issue was raised earlier, the allegations were dismissed by the party then. If there is any mystery behind the death of Vijayan, it should be investigated by the police," he said.

Meanwhile, the police formed a Special Investigation Team(SIT) in connection with the death of  Vijayan and his son Jijesh. Led by SP Taposh Basumatari, Sulthan Bathery DySP Abdul Shereef is the investigation officer. The team also recorded the statement of Peter Geroge, a retired teacher, who had signed the agreement which said he had given Rs 30 lakhs to Vijayan. Police are also collecting details of bank transactions of all the accused including Peter George, Vijayan and Balakrishnan MLA.

Vijayan and his son Jijesh were found at home in a critical condition after consuming poison. They died at Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode on Friday evening. According to the First Information Report of Sulthan Bathery police, Vijayan consumed poison after giving it to his son.