Vigilance probe ordered against former Kerala CM Achuthanandan's son

The Congress-led UDF government in Kerala today ordered a vigilance probe into various allegations of corruption and irregularities against former chief minister VS Achuthanandan's son VA Arun Kumar.

The probe by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau would focus on various charges levelled against Kumar when the UDF was in opposition including his foreign trips as a director of the state-run Institute of Human Resource Development, official sources said.

The charges were levelled against Kumar towards the fag end of LDF rule by chief minister Oommen Chandy, who was then heading the opposition UDF.

After Chandy gave the charges in writing, the LDF government had referred the matter to the state anti-corruption watchdog lok ayukta. However, the UDF had insisted on a vigilance probe into the issue holding that it was essential to bring out the truth.

The vigilance probe was ordered after withdrawing the matter from the lok ayukta.

The allegations included that Kumar had received Rs7 lakh from sandalwood factory owners to soften his father's stand against them and registration for PhD by submitting fake certificates.