A day after additional chief secretary KM Abraham raised objection to the vigilance raid conducted at his residence, the Kerala vigilance department conducted a raid at the residence of another senior IAS officer on Friday morning.
According to reports, the vigilance team registered a case against Additional chief secretary Tom Jose for reported possession of disproportionate assets.
A team of sleuths raided his houses in Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram. Tom Jose is also the state president of IAS association.
The raid follows an FIR that was registered against the officer at the Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court, based on a covert investigation following a complaint against the officer for allegedly amassing wealth beyond his known sources.
The vigilance department had earlier registered an FIR against Tom Jose for allegedly causing loss to the exchequer over a deal while he was Managing Director of Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd (KMML).
A vigilance cell of Ernakulam is also looking into case pertaining to the purchase of 50 acres of land in Sindhudarg in Maharashtra, while he was serving as the PWD secretary.
Speaking to the media in the backdrop of the raid, Tom Jose alleged that it was a deliberate attempt to malign his reputation.
“The charges of disproportionate assets were earlier dismissed after a probe found the allegations to be baseless. The latest investigation is based on a complaint filed by a person who has a criminal background. This is a deliberate attempt to target me,” Tom Jose told ReporterTV.
He added that he would file a complaint with the Chief Minister in this regard.
On Wednesday, additional chief secretary KM Abraham had complained to the CM that the vigilance officials had conducted a raid at his residence without the requisite warrant to do so.