Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 7 (PTI) Former Excise Commissioner Seeram Sambasiva Rao submitted a report to the state government alleging bribe-taking by two senior Excise Department officials shortly before he was relieved of his post, officials said on Saturday.
Rao, who was serving as Excise Commissioner and Special Secretary in the Electronics and Information Technology Department, was transferred and posted as Special Secretary in the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Department.
In the report submitted to the government on Friday, Rao mentioned that Excise Minister M Liju was acquainted with one of the bar owners allegedly involved in the transactions.
According to the report, S Vinod, who served as Joint Excise Commissioner (JEC), allegedly maintained close links with the owner of Ganga Bar in Muvattupuzha and acted as a liaison for the establishment in matters relating to its licence.
An informant had alleged that Vinod demanded a monthly payment of Rs 30,000 from the bar owner and had also received Rs 50,000 for securing approvals relating to bar timings and licence extensions, the report said.
The report flagged allegations against Alappuzha Deputy Commissioner Ajay.
According to information received by Rao, the owner of Roma Centre Bar at Kattachira in Kayamkulam was allegedly asked to pay Rs 30,000 during the deputy commissioner's inspection visits, the report said.
The report identified the bar owner as Ratheesh and stated that he was known to the Excise minister. It mentioned an alleged payment of Rs 20,000 after Onam this year in connection with the renewal of the bar's licence in April.
Rao recommended that Vinod and Ajay be immediately removed from field postings and transferred to offices such as the Excise Crime Records Bureau or the Toddy Board.
He recommended a vigilance inquiry into the allegations of bribe collection, monthly payments and possession of disproportionate assets by the two officials under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The report called for stricter controls on posting officials facing allegations of financial irregularities to sensitive locations and establishments. It recommended that future transfers and appointments at the levels of Joint Excise Commissioner, Additional Excise Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner be considered based on reports from the Excise Commissioner.
CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan alleged that the disclosures in the former commissioner's report pointed to the Excise minister's involvement in corruption in the department.
Speaking to reporters, Govindan said the circumstances surrounding Rao's removal and his subsequent departure from office, reportedly leaving behind his official vehicle and taking an autorickshaw, indicated his protest against the decision.
Govindan said Rao had reported that senior officials in the department were involved in large-scale corruption, including benami transactions and monthly bribe collections, but was unable to transfer them due to pressure.
The former commissioner had named officials allegedly collecting money from bar owners and had also referred to a bar owner known to the Minister, Govindan said.
He claimed that the disclosures raised questions about the minister's links with both the officials accused of corruption and the bar owners allegedly involved in the payments.
"The minister must give a clear answer to these allegations," Govindan said.
Responding to the allegations, Liju said he knew several people, including bar owners, in Kayamkulam, his constituency, and that there was nothing unusual about it.
"I know people who run bars and those who do not. I know everyone here. I also know people in the liquor-related business in Kayamkulam. I am getting acquainted with others now, as that is what I am supposed to do," he told reporters.
The minister said the allegations against the officials should be properly investigated and that the inquiry should not be delayed.
He said Rao should have submitted the report before being transferred so that a detailed probe could have been conducted.
"I feel these matters should be investigated. What is wrong with conducting an inquiry? It should be done properly. Even officials who have retired should be brought under the scope of the investigation, if necessary," he said.
The bar owner, Ratheesh, denied the allegation that he had paid a bribe to Excise officials and told reporters that he was surprised to learn that his name had been mentioned in the report.
Ratheesh acknowledged having a close personal relationship with Excise Minister Liju, saying their friendship predated the latter's tenure as a minister.
He said he had known Liju since the latter was the DCC president and had maintained a cordial relationship with him during his election campaigns in the constituency. He, however, said he maintained cordial relations with politicians across party lines, including ministers in the previous LDF government, as was customary for people engaged in business.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)