Establishment of a new Vigilance court for ensuring speedy trial of cases and the reorganisation of ranges under the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau are under consideration, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed the Assembly on Wednesday.
Mr. Vijayan, speaking during the discussion on the demands for grants in the Assembly, said the VACB had stepped up vigil against corruption. Thirty ‘trap’ cases were filed against government officials for demanding bribe in 2021. Forty-seven cases were registered in 2022 and so far in 2023, 10 cases have been registered, the Chief Minister said.
Responding to a charge that the crime rate was on the increase in Kerala, Mr. Vijayan said more police cases were being registered in the State as the legal literacy was way higher. Kerala had an efficient police force and consequently cases did not go unregistered. Legal literacy and awareness was also relatively higher in Kerala, he said.
The Opposition UDF accused the government of politicising the police force, thereby severely reducing its efficiency. The law and order situation was in tatters in the State, UDF members alleged. They also accused the government of trying to sweep the LIFE Mission corruption case under the rug.
Senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said that the government was facilitating ‘goonda raj’ in the State. The conviction rate in cases registered against goons were abysmally low, he said. The government was also turning a blind eye to the criminal links of a section of police officers, Mr. Radhakrishnan said.
