Messi event fraud case: Kerala govt’s delay in sanction for Vigilance probe raises eyebrows
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government’s delay in deciding whether to register a Vigilance case against former Minister V. Abdurahiman in the alleged fraud involving football star Lionel Messi’s name has raised eyebrows, with the file yet to reach the Lok Bhavan for the Governor’s approval.
The delay has stalled the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe, even though the Director General of Police (DGP) submitted a recommendation on October 5 seeking permission to proceed against Abdurahiman and two others under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The Home Department maintains that prior sanction from the Governor is required to initiate the investigation.
However, the file has not yet been forwarded to Lok Bhavan, leaving the proposed action pending.
The department has cited the ongoing Assembly session as the reason for the delay, saying it has been unable to examine other files because of the legislative workload.
The SIT has sought permission to investigate Abdurahiman, his private secretary Sathyapalan, and former Kerala State Sports Council President U. Sharaf Ali, in connection with the alleged irregularities.
The case relates to the controversy surrounding the use of Messi’s name in a football-related initiative.
The proposed Vigilance investigation is expected to examine whether the alleged irregularities involved corruption, thereby attracting provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The delay in processing the recommendation has put the spotlight on the government’s handling of the case, particularly as the police have already forwarded their recommendation.
The requirement for prior sanction and the administrative delay in forwarding the file have emerged as key hurdles in moving the investigation forward.
With the file still pending in the Home Department, the SIT is unable to proceed with the proposed action against the three persons.
The government is yet to clarify when the recommendation will be forwarded to Lok Bhavan or when a decision on the proposed Vigilance case is likely to be taken.