Kerala CM Satheesan says all VACB findings leading to his exoneration in Punarjani case were made under LDF govt

Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan claimed that all findings from the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) that led the United Democratic Front (UDF) government to drop charges against him in the Punarjani case were made during the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government's rule. Speaking at a press conference after a Cabinet meeting, Mr. Satheesan stated that the VACB did not conduct any investigations or proceedings after the Congress-led UDF took office.

The allegations involved employing foreign funds to aid flood victims in his constituency of Paravur, Ernakulam, in 2019. The UDF government decided to dismiss the case on July 30, with Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala accusing the LDF government of fabricating a politically motivated case against Mr. Satheesan. Mr. Satheesan alleged that despite receiving a report from the Vigilance Director, which clearly disproved the corruption charges, the previous government failed to make the information public "to utilize the case as a smokescreen during the Assembly elections."

In the case timeline, Mr. Satheesan first demanded a Vigilance investigation in 2021, which found no misappropriation of funds. An individual subsequently petitioned the High Court for an investigation, but both the Single Bench and Division Bench rejected the petition. When Mr. Satheesan became Leader of the Opposition in 2023, another investigation was ordered, resulting in a Vigilance inquiry report on September 7, 2024, stating no evidence to support the allegation.

Multiple VACB director inquiries also found no "Vigilance angle" in the case. The LDF government had even attempted to transfer the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). When queried about the specifics of funds raised and used under the scheme, Mr. Satheesan mentioned that detailed reports had been submitted to the VACB and distributed among constituents.

He emphasized the Punarjani scheme as a beneficial model, as sponsors were directly connected to beneficiaries, ensuring all funds reached those in need.