Kerala - Kozhikode   

B.Ed. college case: 3 IUML leaders charge-sheeted

Staff Reporter

Case will be taken up for hearing on April 3

KOZHIKODE: Inquiry Commissioner and Vigilance Special Judge B. Sudheendra Kumar on Tuesday framed charges against three leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) after finding them prima facie guilty of demanding a bribe for sanctioning a B.Ed. college in Wayanad.

The three accused IUML leaders are the former legislator P.P.V. Moosa, State Textile Federation chairman N. Mammootty and IUML Wayanad district general secretary P.C. Ahmed.

While Mr. Moosa and Mr. Mammootty were present in the court, Mr. Ahmed was not present on medical grounds.

The order was pronounced based on the deposition of Metropolitan of Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church Yuhanan Mar Philixinos on February 24.

There was a prima facie case for trial for the offence under Section 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the order said. Mr. Sudheendra Kumar read out the charge-sheet to Mr. Mammootty and Mr. Moosa, and framed charges against them. The Judge gave one month's time for Mr. Ahmed to appear before the court for the charge-sheet to be read out to him. The case will be taken up again for hearing on April 3.

The Metropolitan had reiterated his earlier charge before the court that the three accused had demanded a bribe for sanctioning the college.

In fact, the Metropolitan, who was the sixth witness in the case, was deposing before the court for the third time.

The two earlier appearances were on February 6, 2004 and February 5, 2005.

The former Vigilance Judge M.R. Gopalakrishnan Nair had charge-sheeted the IUML leaders on February 14, 2005. The accused then approached the High Court.

The High Court had quashed the charge-sheet and directed the Vigilance Court to record the deposition of the Metropolitan once again.

As per the directive, he had deposed before the court again on February 24 this year.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, T.M. Jacob and P.C. George, MLAs, were examined in connection with the B.Ed. college case.

The case had its origin in a petition filed by social activist Joemon Puthanpurakkal before the Vigilance Court under Section 202 Cr.PC on January 20, 2004.

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