Nepotism Row: Jayarajan Quits

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
The barely four-month-old Left Democratic Front government in Kerala faces, Industries Minister E P Jayarajan resigns following allegations of nepotism charges.
When Minister E P Jayarajan was caught in the controversy over nepotism the Vigilance started preliminary investigation against him. The relative of Minister E P Jayarajan resigned due to the appointment row. Deepthi Nishad, who is the niece of Kerala Industries and sports minister E PJayarajan, resigned from post of General Manager of Kerala Clay and ceramics.
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has decided to conduct a preliminary investigation into the alleged irregularities in the appointment of relatives to key posts by industry minister E.P. Jayarajan as well as all recent appointments to public sector undertaking carried out by the Public Sector Restructuring and Internal Audit Board (RIAB). Vigilance director Jacob Thomas took the decision based on the advice of its legal wing. Special Investigation Unit-II SP K. Jayakumar will head the investigation.
The probe would cover all recruitment process to top posts in 50 public sector undertakings under the industries department after LDF came to power. RIAB was entrusted with the recruitments.
Jayarajan was caught up in controversy over the appointment of his nephew P. K. Sudheer Nambiar, who is also the son of P. K. Sreemathi MP, as managing director of Kerala State Industrial Enterprises and his brother’s daughter-in-law Deepthi Nishad as general manager at Kerala Clays and Ceramics Products Limited.
The appointments of former chief minister E.K. Nayanar’s grandson Sooraj Raveendra as MD of Kinfra Film and Video Park, CITU state president Anathalavattom Anandan’s son Jeeva Anand as MD of Kinfra Apparel Park and Koliyakode Krishnan Nair’s son Unnikrishnan as general manager of Kinfra also kicked up a controversy.