Idamalayar case: 44 convicts sentenced to three years in prison – KERALA – GENERAL

THRISSUR: The Thrissur vigilance court has sentenced 44 convicts, including officials and contractors, to three years’ imprisonment for the Chalakudy Valathukara canal renovation scam under the Idamalayar irrigation project. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on each accused. The government was found to have suffered a loss of Rs 1.05 crore due to corruption.

51 people are accused in as many as 39 cases. Six people died during the trial. One person was acquitted. Vigilance judge G. Anil passed the judgment in which he agreed with Vigilance’s contention that there was corruption in the renovation of the eight-kilometer Valathukara canal in Chalakudy. The investigation was conducted on the basis of a complaint lodged by Chalakudy native PL Jacob to the director vigilance in 2004.

The chargesheet filed in 2011 named executive engineer Chalakudy Silesh as the first accused and deputy executive engineers Pushparaj, Basheer, Devasa, contractors KJ Johnson, Michael and others as the remaining accused.