One 12 months of Maradu flats demolition: Crime Branch staff headless, probe at standstill

By Express News Service
KOCHI: It has been a 12 months because the 5 house complexes at Maradu turned to mud following a Supreme Court directive. However, the Crime Branch inquiry into the misappropriation of presidency land and violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms by the builders is now in chilly storage because the Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrange for the aim has been headless for the previous couple of months.

The SIT probe relies on three circumstances registered towards the builders by Maradu and Panangad police. Interestingly, former panchayat president and CPM chief K A Devassi was among the many suspects, however the statements of Devassi and about 250 flat homeowners haven’t been recorded but. 

The SIT headed by the then DySP Jossy Cherian made arrests and have been initiating the steps to file the chargesheet. However, your entire proceedings have been undermined after Jossy Cherian was promoted and transferred to Kollam metropolis. 

“The accused had reportedly destroyed crucial documents regarding the granting of permission for the construction with the consent of the panchayat administration in 2006. Hence, the SIT faced a tough task. At that juncture, the DySP who was heading the probe was transferred. Though another DySP has been given the charge, the investigation has come to a standstill,” stated a Crime Branch supply. “The investigation under DySP Jossy Cherian was heading in the right direction but it was undermined,” alleged T K Devarajan, former chairman of Maradu Municipality.  Along with the CB probe, an inquiry by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau was additionally working parallel. It can be not over but.