Accused of nepotism, Kerala minister K T Jaleel resigns

Days after the Kerala State Lokayukta accused him of nepotism, Kerala Higher Education minister K T Jaleel on Tuesday (April 13) resigned from the state cabinet.

The Lokayukta stated it has evidence to prove Jaleel misused his authority to obtain a favour for his cousin.

Jaleel has sent his resignation to the Chief Minister and it has been forwarded to the Governor, sources in the Chief Minister’s office told PTI.

Jaleel also announced his decision to resign on Facebook. “This is a temporary victory for those who wanted to suck my blood. I am announcing with pleasure that I have given my resignation letter to the Chief Minister. I am a public servant who has been subjected to an unjustifiable media witch hunt for the last two years. This is not because I had stolen, neither was I corrupt and nor did I make disproportionate assets. This was not because I caused even a penny’s loss to the public exchequer, neither because i have led a luxurious life… but there was a constant witch hunt.”

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On Monday (April 12), Jaleel had approached the Kerala High Court seeking a stay on the Lokayukta order.

The Lok Ayukta submitted its report to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and suggested Jaleel resign as minister immediately.

A Muslim Youth League leader had approached Lokayukta in 2018, accusing Jaleel of appointing his cousin, Adeeb KT, as general manager in the Kerala State Minorities Development Finance Corporation, in violation of rules set for the appointment.

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Jaleel had then accused the Muslim Youth League leader of vendetta since he (Jaleel) won the Assembly seat from Kuttipuram constituency as an independent in 2006. Jaleel had then said that the report against him was prepared without preliminary enquiry.