Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, probing the disproportionate assets case against former Excise Minister K Babu, today found over 100 sovereigns of gold from a nationalised bank locker of one of his daughters in Ernakulam.
The special cell of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), however, could not find any documents or valuables from the Congress leader's locker in a nationalised bank in Thrippunithura.
"Around 120 sovereigns of gold was found in the locker of Babu's daughter in a nationalised bank in Ernakulam," a VACB special cell official said.
Husband of Babu's daughter claimed that it was not ill-gotten wealth and it was part of their family property.
Vigilance sleuths had earlier found 117 sovereigns of gold jewels in a nationalised bank locker of Babu's daughter in Ernakulam.
Vigilance had frozen all bank lockers of Babu and his kin soon after the raids it conducted at the residences of the Congress leader, his two daughters and his two alleged benamis in connection with the disproportionate assets case against him last week.
Meanwhile, VACB special cell officials, continuing its investigation seeking more evidences against Babu, said there will be a delay in questioning the Congress leader in connection with the case.
Vigilance on Monday had unearthed documents related to land deals allegedly by a suspected benami of Babu.
VACB officials said one Baburam had effected 27 land deals worth crores of rupees between 2011 and 2016 when Babu was the Minister in the Congress-led UDF government.
The Ernakulam VACB special cell team had seized valuable documents from the houses of Babu, his daughters and his two alleged benamis during the searches last week.
The Vigilance special cell, in an FIR filed before the Court of Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, Muvattupuzha, had alleged that Babu used Baburam as his benami for the land dealings.
Babu and his alleged benamis have rejected the charges against them.
"It is an act of vengeance against me," the Congress leader had said reacting to the raids.
Babu's relatives have said they were planning to file a case against the VACB officials for framing them in "false cases.
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