TRIVANDRUM, 18 January 2006 — The chief of an anti-corruption watchdog, yesterday blasted Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy for interfering in its functioning and conducting a parallel probe into its findings. “Ask your chief minister to behave,” the Lok Ayukta told government counsel while admitting a contempt of court petition against the chief minister. Reacting to a clarification from Dinesh Sharma, the chief minister’s principal secretary, on charges of corruption against the health department that led to the resignation of Health Minister K.K. Ramachandran Master, the Lok Ayukta said it “rejects it with the contempt it deserves.”
