Kerala Minister KT Jaleel, says will resort to legal recourse after Lokayukta finds him guilty of nepotism

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], April 9 (ANI): Kerala Higher Education Minister KT Jaleel on Friday said that after seeing the full copy of Lokayukta report further steps will be taken in consultation with legal experts.
"Hon'ble High Court and Hon'ble Former Governor of Kerala and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court P. Sathasivam had rejected the case in which the Lokayukta has now issued such a verdict in the case. Following the full verdict, further steps will be taken in consultation with legal experts," said Jaleel in a Facebook post.
The Minister who was unavailable for comments from media took to Facebook after the Lokayukta found KT Jaleel, guilty of "allegations of abuse of power, favouritism, nepotism and violation of Oath of Office'" and in it's report said that "he should not continue to hold the post held by him as a Member of the Council of Ministers.
The findings by the Lokayukta Justice Cyriac Joseph and Upa Lokayukta Harul Ul Rashid are based on a complaint against the Minister, which accused him of misusing his office to appoint his relative KT Adeeb as general manager in the Kerala State Minorities Development Finance Corporation Limited.
The Lokayukya further said that the forum is satisfied that the allegation of abuse of power, favouritism, nepotism and violation of oath of office is substantiated against the second respondent KT Jaleel.
"The action taken by him to change the qualifications for the post of General Manager in the Corporation to add 'B.Tech with PGDBA' also as a qualification for the of General Manager post was to make the fifth respondent, who is his second cousin, eligible for the post of General Manager," it said.
It added, "The action of the respondent (Jaleel) was actuated in a discharge of his function as Minister by personal interest to favour his own second cousin. It amounted to favoritism and nepotism and also lack of integrity in his capacity as a Minister. The conduct of the second respondent also violated the Oath of Office he had taken as a Minister to discharge his duties as a Minister 'without fear or favor, affection or ill will."
The report has been forwarded to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for further action.
"This Report under Section 12 (3) of the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act, 1999 is submitted to the Hon'ble Chief Minister, the Competent Authority, for taking appropriate action in accordance with Section 14 of the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act. 56," it read.
The complaint was filed by on V K Muhammed Shafi against the minister. (ANI)