VACB seizes files on ₹12-cr Kannur district panchayat contracts

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has seized five files relating to contracts worth more than ₹12 crore awarded to Carton India Alliance Private Limited during the tenure of former Kannur district panchayat president P.P.

Divya, as part of its investigation into alleged irregularities in the award of the contracts. The Vigilance team seized the files from the district panchayat office. The company has been accused of being a benami firm of Ms.

Divya, and the complaint alleges that the contracts were awarded to it through irregular means during her tenure as district panchayat president. The seized files reportedly relate to the construction of modular toilets and an Animal Birth Control centre, among other projects.

The Vigilance team is expected to examine the documents before deciding on further action. As the contracts were awarded to the firm through the public sector undertaking SILK (Steels and Industrial Forgings Limited), the investigation is also likely to extend to the company.

The investigation is being led by the VACB’s North Range Superintendent of Police. Kerala Students Union (KSU) State vice-president P. Muhammed Shammas had lodged a complaint with the Vigilance during the previous government’s tenure, alleging that Carton India was a benami company of Ms.

Divya and that corruption was involved in the award of contracts to the firm. Meanwhile, the firm has denied the allegations, maintaining that the contracts awarded by the district panchayat were secured through the e-tendering process and that the allegation that it was a benami company was baseless.