Microfinance Fraud Case: Kerala High Court Orders Personal Appearance Of Investigating Officer

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (August 11) directed personal appearance of the investigating officer looking into the ₹15.85 crore SNDP Microfinance Scam case.

The case relates to the alleged misappropriate of Rs. 15.85 crores of government funds under the Micro Finance Scheme and involves officers of the SNDP Yogam and former Managing Directors of Kerala State Backward Classes Development Corporation Ltd. (KSBCDC).

Justice A. Badharudeen has directed S. Sasidharan IPS, the Superintendent of Police, VACB, Central Range, Ernakulam to personally appear before Court on August 14 (Friday).

The development comes in two pleas registered in 2020 seeking appointment of a Special Investigation Team headed by an efficient officer to investigate into the crime registered by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) relating to the SNDP micro finance fraud case.

During the pendency of the afore pleas, the Court had granted many extensions to the investigating officers appointed. On May 20, an order was passed directing the investigating officer to complete probe by June 20 and to file reports in all case.

Thereafter, on June 20, the Court had warned that it would be constrained to consider entrusting another investigating officer if probe is not completed within 3 weeks. Again, on July 8, a final opportunity was granted to the officer to complete probe within a month and final report.

When the cases came up on Tuesday, the Court perused a report regarding the progress of the investigation. It refuted the petitioners' contention that only 1 out of 124 cases have reached the final report stage. It was submitted that 17 final reports have already been filed and that a decision has been made to file a consolidated final report with respect to the other cases.

The cases were then adjourned. On Tuesday, the Court expressed dissatisfaction with the report filed and ordered the investigating officer heading the Special Investigation Team probing the case to personally appear before it.

Case No: WP(C) No. 14599 of 2020 and Crl.MC No. 5539/2020

Case Title: M.S. Anil v. State of Kerala and Ors. and connected case

Counsel for the petitioners: D. Anil Kumar & O.V. Maniprasad, Jose Antony, S. Shiv Shankar