A senior Forest Department official who was implicated in a Kerala Vigilance case has succeeded in delaying the state government’s disciplinary measures.
The Kerala Chief Minister’s Office appears to have delayed enacting the proper sentence that Forest Minister A K Saseendran had recommended for E Pradeep Kumar, who served as the Additional Principal Chief Forest Conservator (APCFC).
This occurred soon after the Vigilance case against him was postponed for a year to allow for his promotion to a cadre role that was ‘specially established’ for him.
On April 12, 2021, the Vigilance unit arrested him while he was driving. He was found to be in possession of four covers containing a total of Rs 85,000. Significantly, the First Information Report wasn’t registered by the Vigilance (FIR). On the other hand, Saidalavi, a citizen of Thiruvambadi, complained in a plea to the Vigilance Court on April 29 that the inquiry was being scuttled. The following day, the FIR was filed.
After the cadre position was established, Pradeep Kumar was named Principal Chief Forest Conservator while the FIR was postponed by a year. He was appointedAlong with the newly appointed Chief Wildlife Warden and Forest Vigilance Head.The file from the Home Department recommending that Pradeep be subject to punishment soon made its way to the Forest Minister.
The Forest Minister forwarded the file to the Chief Minister’s Office, stating that the Chief Minister could take corrective action in accordance with the All-India Service Rules as the investigation was over and there was no need to suspend him. The file that was supplied two months ago has not been accessed, though.
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