Clean chit to health minister’s personal assistant in job scam; police say complainant on the run

Thiruvananthapuram: The police have given a clean chit to Akhil Mathew, personal staff member of Kerala health minister Veena George, in connection with the medical officer job fraud case. As per the remand report, other accused in the case had impersonated Akhil Mathew and carried out the fraud.

Police believe that Haridasan has not seen Akhil Mathew in person and is currently on the run. Though Haridasan was also summoned for interrogation, he failed to show up, police say.

Akhil Sajeev, a former CITU office staff in Pathanamthitta, is the first accused in the case. Lenin Raj and Raheez, Akhil Sajeev’s friends, are the second and third accused, respectively. The remand report also stated that the trio had swindled Rs 1.75 lakh from complainant Haridasan, a native of Malappuram. 

Meanwhile, the Cantonment Police had arrested Kozhikode native Raheez in connection with the case the other day. He was produced before the court and is currently remanded. Basith, a friend of Haridasan, was also interrogated by the police and later released. 

According to the police, Raheez was involved in forging fake emails and letters under the name of the health minister’s private secretary and Ayush Mission. The police also seized a mobile phone used for the purpose, which will soon be sent for further examination. 

According to the remand report, Akhil Sajeev pretended to be Akhil Mathew and cheated Haridasan of Rs 1.75 lakh with the help of his accomplice. The case has been registered on the complaint of Akhil Mathew who alleged that a fraud was carried out at the office using his name. 

The incident stoked controversy following a complaint lodged by Haridasan levelling bribe allegations. According to the complaint, Akhil Sajeev and Akhil Mathew took a bribe of Rs 1.75 lakh to get Haridasan's son's wife a job as a Homeo Medical Officer in Ayush Mission.