An anti-corruption court here on Monday heard that there was no graft or nepotism in the appointment of V.S. Arun Kumar as director, Institute of Human Resources Development, when his father, V.S. Achuthanandan, was the Chief Minister during the 2006-11 period. Legal Advisor, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), C.C. Augustine told The Hindu that the agency had filed a report absolving Mr. Arun of all charges.
The main accusation against Mr. Arun was that he had faked his experience certificate to get a top post in another institution allied to the IHRD. Mr. Augustine said the VACB had now found no evidence to substantiate the charge.
IHRD-linked corruption allegations against his son had been a pebble in the shoes of Mr. Achuthanandan, currently chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission, for long.
The court is yet to peruse the final report and arrive at a conclusion. It is also scheduled to hear the counter-argument of the complainant in the case before reaching a decision.
P.C. Vishnunath, a former Congress legislator, had first raised the allegations against Mr. Arun Kumar in the Legislative Assembly.
Subsequently, the United Democratic Front echoed the same accusations and raised them as a campaign issue during the 2011 Assembly election.
The subsequent Oommen Chandy Government ordered a Vigilance enquiry against Mr. Arun.