The Kerala Vigilance Director on Thursday ordered a probe into a corruption allegation against some State BJP functionaries over securing Medical Council of India (MCI) clearance for a private medical college.
Bharatiya Janata Party State president Kummanam Rajasekharan has expelled cooperative cell convener R.S. Vinod from the primary membership of the party in connection with the allegation.
The allegation is that Mr. Vinod had taken a bribe of Rs. 5.60 crore to facilitate the approval from the MCI for the college in Varkala near here. Mr. Rajasekharan said in a release here that the allegation against Mr. Vinod was very serious and had tainted the corruption-free image of the party.
Such deeds while holding an important position in the party were unpardonable, violation of party discipline and anti-party activity, he said.
Complaint filed
The probe was ordered on the basis of a complaint filed by the former Thiruvananthapuram Corporation councillor A. Sukarno. The graft charge levelled against a section of prominent State BJP leaders has shaken the national party, claiming to provide corruption-free governance at the Centre during the past three years.
National leaders claiming to be running a scam-free government have been left red-faced.
The most significant aspect of the allegation was that the bribe had been taken from a businessman who maintained good relations with the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena, a prominent NDA ally in the State.
Smouldering issue
The issue had been smouldering since BJP president Amit Shah visited the State as part of his national tour to gauge the preparations for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Mr. Shah and other leaders, who rely on intelligence on the functioning of the State party machinery from other sources, were reported to have been aware of the graft charge.