CPI-M more bothered by CAG report leak rather than its contents

After the CAG report on Kerala Police was out, the ruling Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) seemed to be more worried about the fact that the report was leaked rather than being concerned about its contents. The report revealed grave issues ranging from corruption and misappropriation of funds to buying luxury vehicles and missing arms and ammunition.

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Opposition attacks

The Congress-led opposition has gone full throttle in its attack on the government citing the serious revelations of the CAG report. Ramesh Chennithala, Leader of Opposition spoke about his letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan which he wrote two days back demanding a probe into the alleged corrupt deals of Kerala Police, revealed in the CAG report.

Chennithala has called it an issue pertaining to state security and slammed the chief minister for his silence on it. The Congress has demanded the removal of DGP Loknath Behera and also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe on the findings of the report.

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The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its performance audit of 2013-18, tabled in the Kerala Assembly on Wednesday pointed out lapses in handling arms and cartridges and misappropriation of funds. The CAG report found that 25 riffles and 12,061 cartridges were missing from the Special Armed Police Battalion (SAPB).

The report also revealed that 250 dummy cartridges were used in the coverup of the shortage of 9 mm drill cartridges. The audit also observed that the Stock Register and related records of arms and ammunition in the SAPB were not properly maintained. 

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The report has pointed out on DGP Behra's fondness for unreasonable spending on vehicles instead of using the funds meant for improving the operational effectiveness of the force. The report also added that 15 per cent of the 269 light motor vehicles procured by the police department were luxury cars. Also, the bullet-proof vehicles meant for operations in Naxal-infested areas were deployed for VIP security. Also, the cars were purchased without inviting tenders.

The report cited diversion of funds to the tune of Rs 2.81 crore to construct villas for the state police chief and three additional DGPs which were actually meant for construction of subordinate staff quarters.

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