Kannur panchayat contracts: KSU vice-president challenges allegations, threatens legal action

Kerala Students Union (KSU) State vice-president P. Muhammed Shammas has challenged Carton India Alliance Private Limited managing director Mohammed Asif to produce evidence for the allegations against him and threatened legal action, escalating the controversy over alleged irregularities in contracts awarded by the Kannur district panchayat.

The confrontation comes amid a fresh vigilance investigation into alleged irregularities in public works contracts worth more than ₹12 crore awarded to the company. The Keralam government sanctioned the investigation on October 23 against former district panchayat president P.P. Divya, her husband V.P. Ajith and former district panchayat secretary Abdul Latheef, following a complaint by Mr. Shammas. The probe was authorised under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Addressing the media in Kannur, Mr. Shammas said he had been raising allegations of corruption and benami transactions for nearly two years and had submitted complaints and supporting documents to the authorities.

Responding to allegations that he had sought money through an intermediary, he said the claims had changed from an initial allegation of a demand for money to one involving ₹5 lakh.

“Let them not think that they can divert the issue by raising such cheap allegations. I have placed the matters before the public and the authorities with documents and evidence. I challenge Mohammed Asif to produce the evidence on which his allegations against me are based,” he said.

Mr. Shammas said he would initiate legal action against Mr. Asif over what he described as a malicious campaign.

Mr. Shammas questioned the relationship between Ms. Divya and Carton India Alliance, as well as Mr. Asif’s association with the company. He referred to audio recordings and WhatsApp screenshots that he claimed raised questions about their alleged links.

He cited a voice message in which Mr. Asif allegedly asked someone to meet Binoy Kurian, then district panchayat vice-president, reportedly at Ms. Divya’s direction. Mr. Shammas said the recordings and related material had been brought to the attention of the authorities, including the Vigilance department.

Responding to the allegations, Mr. Kurian denied that contracts had been awarded without following tender procedures. He said the district panchayat had invited tenders from project management consultants in 2022-23, with three companies participating and SILK being selected for quoting the lowest percentage charge.

SILK subsequently prepared estimates and invited tenders to select executing agencies, including Carton India Alliance, he said.

“The district panchayat has no role in selecting Carton India. That responsibility rests with SILK,” Mr. Kurian said, adding that the prescribed procedures had been followed and the relevant files were available for public scrutiny at the district panchayat office.