Thiruvananthapuram,02 July (H.S.):

The Kerala government has granted sanction to prosecute INTUC State president R. Chandrasekharan and former Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC) Managing Director K.A. Ratheesh in the long-pending corruption case relating to alleged irregularities in cashew imports and procurement.

The prosecution sanction was issued late on Wednesday night, ending a delay of nearly five years after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sought permission to prosecute the accused.

Informing the Kerala High Court of the government's decision on Thursday, Advocate General K. Gopalakrishna Kurup said the formal government order would be produced within two days. Accepting the request, the High Court directed the State to submit the order by next Wednesday, when it will also hear the contempt petition filed over the delay in granting sanction.

The court had earlier come down heavily on the previous LDF government for repeatedly withholding approval despite the CBI's request. In June, former Industries Principal Secretary A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish had appeared before the High Court and apologised for the delay after contempt proceedings were initiated against him. The court had then directed the government to take a decision by July 2.

The case concerns alleged large-scale corruption in the procurement of raw cashew nuts and processed kernels between 2006 and 2015. According to the investigation, irregularities involving imports and procurement worth nearly ₹1,400 crore resulted in an estimated loss of around ₹500 crore to the corporation.

The CBI alleged that substandard raw cashew nuts were imported at inflated prices, causing huge financial losses. It also found alleged manipulation of tender procedures and irregular award of contracts, particularly to JMJ Traders, which was allegedly granted exclusive permission to import raw cashew during the period in violation of established norms.

R. Chandrasekharan, former KSCDC Managing Director K.A. Ratheesh and JMJ Traders proprietor Jaimon Joseph are the principal accused. The CBI filed its chargesheet in 2020 after taking over the investigation from the Vigilance department in 2015.

Public activist Kadakampally Manoj, whose 2021 High Court petition challenged the government's refusal to grant sanction, welcomed the decision, calling it the culmination of an 18-year legal battle. The prosecution sanction could also have political implications for Chandrasekharan's continuation as INTUC State president.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman