Ker:Former excise minister’s house searched by anti-graft body

Kochi, Sep 3 (PTI) The Vigilance and Anti-CorruptionBureau today conducted raids at the residences of formerKerala Excise Minister K Babu and his two daughters inconnection with a disproportionate assets case against theCongress leader. Vigilance officials said raids are also being conductedat the residences of two of his friends–Baburam and Mohanan-at Vyttila and Kumbalam in Ernakulam district. Babu, who had a controversial stint as the state ExciseMinister in the previous Oommen Chandy-led UDF government, hadresigned after a Thrissur court ordered the Vigilancedepartment to register an FIR against him in the bar briberyscam. He was later reinstated in the post. The searches are being conducted at Babu’s residence inThrippunithura and his daughters’ residences in Palarivattamin Ernakulam district and Thodupuzha in Idukki district,officials said. Five teams of the Vigilance officials, headed by twoDySPs, from Vigilance special cell, Ernakulam began thesearches at 8 AM, they said. Officials said the raids were being conducted after anFIR was registered based on a complaint filed by anThrippunithura-based anti-corruption organisation against theformer minister. Babu had lost the Thrippunithura assembly seat toM Swaraj of CPI(M) in the elections held in May this year.PTI TGB BNRT