Kerala High Court Demands Vigilance Action Report on Massive Digital Survey Corruption Allegations
The Kerala High Court has taken a firm stance on serious corruption allegations surrounding a major state infrastructure project. A bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V M Syam Kumar has formally directed the state vigilance department to provide comprehensive details regarding the steps taken in response to a complaint alleging massive financial irregularities in the tendering and purchase of equipment for Kerala's ambitious digital re-survey project.
PIL Highlights Alleged Rs 150 Crore Loss to State Exchequer
The court's intervention comes through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Shaji J Kodankandath from Thrissur, who has raised alarming concerns about potential corruption causing a staggering loss exceeding Rs 150 crore to the state treasury. The petitioner specifically seeks a judicial directive for the vigilance director to conduct a thorough investigation by forming a special team dedicated to this matter.
"The petitioner has presented compelling evidence suggesting systematic irregularities in the procurement process for equipment essential to the digital re-survey of 1,550 villages across Kerala," the court observed during proceedings.
Court Issues Three-Week Deadline for Vigilance Affidavit
During Thursday's hearing, the High Court established a strict timeline for the vigilance department's response. The bench ordered the vigilance director to submit a detailed affidavit within three weeks, explicitly outlining all actions already undertaken in response to the petitioner's corruption complaint. This judicial directive underscores the court's serious approach to allegations of substantial financial misconduct in public projects.
"The court's intervention is crucial for ensuring transparency and accountability in how public funds are utilized for critical infrastructure projects," noted legal observers familiar with the case.
Background: The Rs 807.98 Crore Digital Re-Survey Project
The controversy centers around Kerala's comprehensive digital re-survey initiative, approved by the state government in 2021 with a total projected cost of Rs 807.98 crore. The massive undertaking was planned across four distinct phases, with the first phase alone allocated Rs 339.438 crore. Within this initial phase, approximately Rs 168 crore was specifically earmarked for procuring specialized equipment necessary for conducting the digital survey operations.
Tendering Irregularities and Revised Estimates
According to the petitioner's detailed submission, the procurement process encountered significant irregularities from the outset:
- The government invited tenders twice for purchasing the essential digital survey equipment, but both attempts proved unsuccessful.
- Participating companies consistently quoted prices more than double the originally estimated procurement cost of Rs 168 crore.
- The lowest bid received was Rs 365.95 crore from Hexagon Geosystems India Private Limited, representing a substantial 118% increase over initial estimates.
Subsequently, authorities accepted Hexagon Geosystems' offer to supply the equipment along with an annual maintenance contract for Rs 343.63 crore, representing a negotiated reduction from their original quote. Crucially, this acceptance occurred without issuing a fresh tender aligned with the revised estimate, a procedural deviation that forms the core of the corruption allegations.
Vigilance Preliminary Report Recommended Detailed Investigation
The petitioner emphasized that a vigilance inspector from the special investigation unit had already conducted a preliminary inquiry and submitted a report recommending a comprehensive, detailed investigation into the matter. Despite this official recommendation from within the vigilance apparatus itself, no substantive follow-up action has been taken to date, according to the petitioner's claims before the court.
"When estimates are substantially revised upward, established procurement norms mandate issuing fresh tenders to ensure competitive pricing and transparency," the petitioner argued, highlighting what they characterize as a deliberate bypassing of standard procedures.
Judicial Scrutiny of Major Public Expenditure
The Kerala High Court's intervention represents significant judicial oversight of substantial public expenditure. By demanding a detailed affidavit from the vigilance department within a strict three-week timeframe, the court has effectively placed the onus on investigative authorities to demonstrate their responsiveness to serious corruption allegations involving hundreds of crores in public funds.
The case continues to develop as stakeholders await the vigilance department's formal response, which will likely determine whether a full-scale investigation into the digital re-survey project's procurement processes will be initiated.
