Kerala minister KT Jaleel resigns after Lokayukta order

Thrivanatpuram, April 13: Major Blow to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan led cabinet as Kerala Higher Education minister KT Jaleel resigned from his post. He stepdown from his post after Lokayukta found him guilty of abuse of power and favoritism, ruling he had no moral right to continue as a minister.

 

 

 

According to the reports, Jaleel has sent his resignation to the Chief Minister and it has been forwarded to the Governor.

 

The minister took the social media announced the decision. In the social media post, he said, “For the last two years I have been hounded by certain people and a section of the media. They will be happy (that) I have tendered my resignation. But I will bounce back. They can kill me but they can’t defeat me.”

 

 

Yesterday Lokayukt pronounced him guilty of nepotism and abuse of power in connection with the appointment of his second cousin KT Adeeb as general manager of Kerala State Minorities Development Finance Corporation Limited. Lokayukta noted that Jaleel cannot continue in his post as the Education Minister and suggested the chief minister take appropriate action against him.

 

 

In 2018 Muslim Youth League had accused him of bypassing established procedures to favor his relatives. They alleged that Adeeb, a cousin of Jaleel, was appointed general manager in the Kerala State Minorities Development Finance Corporation, flouting rules. The allegations had sparked a political furor in the state, prompting Opposition parties to carry out rallies demanding his ouster.

 

 

Following the controversy, Adeeb resigned from his post stating that the accusations have “hurt his dignity”. However, a Lokayukta in 2019 ordered a probe into the case based on the complaint filed by V K Muhammed Shafi, a native of Edappal.

 

 

Jaleel had approached the High Court to quash the Lokayukta order but resigned just before the case came up in court.

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