EXPOSING the unhindered corrupt practices in both political and bureaucratic levels in Kerala, the secretary of Public Works Department and senior IAS officer T O Sooraj has been suspended from the service. Action against Sooraj, known to be very close to the Chief Minister and several others including industries minister P K Kunjalikkutty, was taken after vigilance raids unearthed huge assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. The order was given after vigilance officials raided five places on November 19 and quizzed Sooraj for many hours in Kochi. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala confirmed that there was strong evidence against the officer and it was not a vindictive action. Giving a shock to the ruling UDF, Sooraj reacted that he possesses many documentary evidence against those who are pretending to be honest. “There should not be a wrong perception among the entire Kerala population that I am the only one who has done a wrong," he had said after being suspended. On November 21, the vigilance team captured the evidence of his disproportionate assets through a day-long raid in his apartments and office. The captured documents show that he possesses six apartments in different cities in Kerala and one in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Rs 23 lakh in cash also was recovered from his residence at Thiruvananthapuram. Meanwhile, reports on Sooraj’s involvement in various land grabbing cases point the needle of doubt towards Chief Minister Oommen Chandy too. Vigilance has received information on Sooraj’s involvement in the land grabbing cases like Kalamasseri case and Kadakampalli case in which the Chief Minister’s aide Salim Raj is the prime accused. Exposing Sooraj’s alliance with Muslim League, the League leaders expressed their contempt over the vigilance raid on his properties. PWD minister V K Ibrahim Kunj has said that the way vigilance raided without informing the secretary is imprudent. An ordinary Malayali might be surprised when he/she heard of the news of exorbitant and immense wealth of a senior IAS officer unearthed through a day-long vigilance raid on his premises, but those who are familiar with the dynamics in the corridors of powers in Thiruvananthapuram find that the story of the value of wealth possessed by T O Sooraj is normal. A list of corrupt bureaucrats does not start or end with the name of Sooraj, who always kept a dubious rapport with the Chief Minister. Another big shot in this list is none other than the ‘young and vibrant super cop’ Rahul R Nair, a blue-eyed boy of Congress ministers. Rahul, district police chief of Pathanamthitta, has also been suspended for accepting Rs 17 lakh as bribe from quarry owners. Rahul R Nair was a model police officer for both administration and the mainstream media during his tenure as district police chief of Kannur. His concerted effort to arrest P Jayarajan, secretary of CPI(M) Kannur district committee, on the basis of false allegation of the UDF in a case regarding the death of a Muslim League worker. Praises had been showered on him by the media and Congress leaders when he "nabbed" P Jayarajan. Sooraj started his career as an officer in the forest department. A vigilance case was registered against him during his tenure in the forest department. He was conferred with IAS when he was an officer in the revenue department. Prominent post where given to him during the reign of UDF in alternate terms. His close relation with ministers is an open secret and some benami deals also carried out by him for these ministers. He became the collector of Kozhikode with the patronage of Muslim League leaders. Corruption allegation was also raised against him during the Marad communal violence. The incumbent government appointed him as the secretary of public work department. Numerous corrupt practices were held in this department recently under the stewardship of Muslim League Minister V K Ibrahim Kunj and secretary Sooraj. Corrupt practices of these two senior officers surfaced mainly due to infighting within the bureaucracy. Rahul’s reaction against two top police officers – the IG and the ADGP -- was proof for this. A desperate Sooraj has also said that he will pull down the mask of many who pretend to be honest. These two officers reflect the fraudulent face of the corrupt UDF government. Stinking stories of corruption and fraud are rising from almost all ministers’ offices. A UDF meeting held last week extended whole hearted support to K M Mani, the finance minister who is tangled in bribery charges, and it show the government’s attitude towards corruption. BRIBE FOR BAR CONTROVERSY: UDF IN UTTER MUDDLE WITH the fight among Congress leaders and the UDF constituents reaching its zenith, the Bribe for Bar controversy has taken a new turn in Kerala. State Congress president V M Sudheeran, whose 'Janapaksha Yatra' from Kasargode to Thiruvananthapuram failed to have any impact, has made frontal attack on other Congress leaders. Sudheeran has categorically said that Congress does not need "vote and note (funds) from liquor sellers". He also said Congress would not make those who consume alcohol the party's candidates in local body elections due next year. Total prohibition in Kerala within ten years is the proclaimed policy of UDF and the front has decided to implement it in a time-bound manner, Sudheeran said, in response to statement of UDF convener P P Thankachan favouring renewal of licence of beer and wine parlours. In a counter attack on KPCC president, Chief Minister Chandy said that Congress needs votes of all and the party must decide on the policy whether donations from liquor sellers can be received or not. KPCC vice-president V D Satheeshan has said he needs the vote of liquor sellers. “I would not deny the votes of liquor shop owners of my constituency,” he said. Mounting attack on the state Congress president, UDF constituent Kerala Congress leader Antony Raju said that Sudheeran’s statement reflects his hypocrisy. Congress leaders should not conceal the fact that some ministers in the Oommen Chandy cabinet are bar owners. Adding to the confusion, state excise minister K Babu said the statement of Sudheeran is a personal one and the party has not discussed the matter so far.