TRIVANDRUM, India, 5 June 2006 — Indian Union Muslim League in Kerala has elected Panakkad Syed Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal as its president and junior Foreign Minister E. Ahamed general secretary. The party’s state committee meeting held in Malappuram also elected Syed Ummar Bafaqi Thangal, Abdullah Hajee Ahmed Sait, Hameed Ali Shamnad and P. P. Abdul Gafoor Maulavi as vice presidents. Former minister P.K. Kunhalikkutty is the new treasurer. Former ministers E.T. Mohammed Basheer and M.K. Muner were made secretaries along with V.A. Ahmed Kabeer and Abdul Salam Hajee. Resentment was brewing in the party after severe drubbing in the recent assembly elections as its strength was reduced to eight in the 140-member house.
Housing Scam
The Congress party has demanded probe into alleged corruption in the housing scheme for the poor during the earlier Left Democratic Front rule. Its president, Ramesh Chennithala, said he had written to Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan demanding probe based on an assembly committee report indicting Housing and Works Minister P.J. Joseph. Government funds to the tune of 4.33 billion rupees were embezzled during his earlier tenure as minister. Terming it the biggest scam ever in the state, he said the LDF government could not wash its hands of the report since the Public Accounts Committee that found the irregularities was chaired by the current Interior Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. The LDF won the state elections last month.
Cash, Liquor Seized
The Central Bureau of Investigations seized unaccounted cash and liquor bottles from the office of the Protector of Emigrants (POE) here during an overnight raid. Reports said unaccounted cash totaling around 150,000 rupees and three bottles of imported liquor were recovered. Massive irregularities in granting emigration clearance to unskilled workers headed for the Gulf were also discovered. The CBI also conducted raids on a city-based travel agency on complaints of jobseekers. Meanwhile, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi said he had removed the POE in Hyderabad and all POE offices would be “cleaned up” within three months.
Tussle Over Tusker
Authorities have turned down the demand of the Kerala Elephant Lovers’ Association to release a rogue elephant which was captured in the Peppara wildlife sanctuary near here last week, saying it regularly strays into tribal settlements, kills people and destroys farmlands.
In a costly and long-drawn operation by the forest department, the tusker nicknamed Kolakolli (ruthless killer) was tranquilized and captured with the help of five tamed elephants. The association has lodged a complaint with the federal authorities against taming the elephant. They want it relocated.
Policing Goes High-Tech
Interior Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan recently held a meeting with all district police chiefs and city police commissioners through a video-link. The minister said he would hold similar conferences every month to improve policing in the state. He urged the officers to be prepared for tackling “high-tech” crimes.
Polygraph Test
The Kerala High Court has directed the investigation officer in a case of alleged hazing and rape of a student at the School of Medical Education in Kottayam to subject all the accused as well as the victim to brain mapping and polygraph tests. The court, however, said it was not inclined to allow narcoanalysis test. A 17-year-old girl who joined the school alleged that she was drugged and raped by seniors who threatened her that if she talked about the crime with anybody, acid would be poured on her.
