Quick verification ordered against IAS officer T O Sooraj

A Vigilance Court today ordered quick verification against IAS officer T O Sooraj on a complaint that he, as chairman of Kerala State Construction Corporation Ltd, had given work tocontractors without following proper procedures for higher amounts than actually quoted by KSCC.
Expressing dissatisfaction over an enquiry by a Deputy Superintendent of Police on the issue, Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, Muvattupuzha, P Madhavan, said the senior officer could have at least conducted a test check on some works undertaken by KSCC.
Passing the order for a quick verification on the issue, the court said the investigating officer can select some of the works mentioned in the schedule of the complaint.

The court also directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to file a report on or before November 30.
The complainant, Gireesh Babu, an anti-corruption activist, submitted that KSCC, functioning under the Public Works Department, is a company and is given a special concession by the government for construction works.
During the chairmanship of Sooraj,KSSC took up various projects availing the concession. Thereafter it had entrusted works to various construction contractors favourable to the respondents, quoting even higher amounts and causing a loss of crores of rupees to PWD, he alleged.
The petitioner produced six schedules of work done by KSCC and higher amounts are paid to the contractors through it.