Two-year RI for former Chief Secretary

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN. 2. The Vigilance Special Court today sentenced former Chief Secretary, R. Ramachandran Nair, to rigorous imprisonment for two years and a fine of Rs. 50,000 in a criminal case relating to the purchase of land for the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit.

The Vigilance Inquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, Mr. N.K. Balakrishnan, passed the judgment sentencing Ramachandran Nair under Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. On default of payment of fine, he would have to undergo imprisonment for one more year. He was further sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for one year under Section 120(b) of the Indian Penal Code. The substantive sentences are to run concurrently.

The second accused in the case, P.N. Krishna Pillai, who was the secretary of the Sree Vidyadhiraja Vidya Samajam, was also sentenced to one-year rigorous imprisonment for criminal conspiracy under the same provisions of the IPC.

Ramachandran Nair's brother and president of the samajam, Mr. R. Kumaran Nair, who was the third accused in the case, was acquitted. Ramachandran Nair and Pillai were later granted bail by the court.

The prosecution case was that while working as the Vice- Chancellor of the Sanskrit University during the period between December 31, 1993, and June 30, 1996, Ramachandran Nair abused his official position and entered into a criminal conspiracy with his brother, Mr. Kumaran Nair, and Krishna Pillai in a land deal causing a loss of Rs. 33.75 lakhs to the exchequer.

According to the chargesheet filed on March 23, 1998, Ramachandran Nair had arbitrarily decided to purchase one acre of land falling in Survey Nos. 1574, 1582, 1583/3, 1588 and 1602 of Manacaud village in Thiruvananthapuram, belonging to the Samajam, at an exorbitant rate of Rs. 50,000 per cent, though the land would fetch only Rs. 5,650 per cent according to the prevailing rates in the locality.

The rules and procedures governing the acquisition of land for public authority were not observed, the prosecution argued. In pursuance of the conspiracy, Ramachandran Nair executed an agreement with Krishna Pillai on October 3, 1994 for the purchase of land for the university.

According to the agreement, a total of Rs. 37,50,000 was paid to the Samajam for the purchase of 75 cents.

The amount was paid through four cheques for Rs. 10 lakhs, Rs. 5 lakhs, Rs. 20 lakhs and Rs. 2.5 lakhs dated October 3, 1994, October 5, 1994, October 9, 1995 and June 25, 1996 respectively.

However, the sale deeds were executed only in respect of 55 cents as per sale deed nos. 2884/96 dated October 9, 1996, and 3118/96 dated November 22, 1996. The land was filled at an estimated cost of Rs. 64,526 at the expense of the Samajam.

The judgment observed that Ramachandran Nair had facilitated the Samajam to obtain pecuniary advantage by abusing his official position and caused loss to the university.

Noting that the sale documents were falsely valued, the verdict said the first and second accused had entered into a criminal conspiracy.

The case was investigated by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau, Mr. Vilson K. Joseph.

The legal adviser, Mr. P.P. Saseendran, appeared on behalf of the prosecution.

Talking to presspersons while coming out of the court, Ramachandran Nair said he would appeal against the verdict in the High Court.

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