The Kerala police have registered a case against Congress MLA from Wayanad, I.C. Balakrishnan, and three other office-bearers of the party in the district for allegedly abetting the suicide of Congress leader N.M. Vijayan and his son Jijesh over cash-for-job scam.
A senior police officer in Wayanad told PTI that FIR has been registered against the Congress legislator and three other party functionaries in connection with Vijayan’s death. Police said the case was taken against the leaders based on Vijayan’s suicide note. A senior police official confirmed that the section of abetment of suicide under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been added to the FIR.
Police said Balakrishnan and three others, including Wayanad DCC president N.D. Appachan, who were named in Vijayan's suicide note, has been arrayed as accused in the case. "The action was taken based on Vijayan's suicide note,” the officer told PTI.
Vijayan, the District Congress Committee treasurer and his Jijesh allegedly attempted suicide and were found at home in critical condition after consuming poison in December. Vijayan and son died at Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital last month. A suicide note released by Vijayan’sfamily alleges Congress MLA Balakrishnan took bribes for appointments at the Congress-controlled cooperative bank in Sultan Bathery
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The irregularities in the appointments at the cooperative bank came to the fore following the suicide. A document also surfaced stating that Rs 30 lakh had been taken from the father of a job applicant for an appointment at the bank governed by Congress. The document was signed by N.M. Vijayan, but the name of I.C. Balakrishnan also appeared in the contract. However, Vijayan said the document was fake and also filed a complaint with the police against it.
Besides the suicide note, a letter written by Vijayan to the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president has also surfaced, where Vijayan alleges money was taken from several aspirants promising work at the cooperative bank and the money was intended for the Congress legislator. Vijayan also accused in the letter that his son, Jijesh, was removed from job at the bank so that Balakrishnan could appoint someone of his choice.
