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VK Ebrahim Kunju is an Indian politician and former Minister of Public Works in the Government of Kerala. In 2020, he was arrested by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) in connection with the Palarivattom scam.
Wiki/Biography
VK Ebrahim Kunju was born on Tuesday, 20 May 1952 (age 70 as of 2022) in Kongorpilly, Ernakulam, Kerala. After his SSLC exams, he became actively involved in student politics and joined the Muslim Students Federation (MSF). Later, he headed the Muslim Youth League (Youth League), the youth wing of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and became one of the prominent leaders of the IUML in Kerala.
Physical appearance
Hair color: black
Eye Color: Black
family
VK Ebrahim Kunju hails from a Malayali Muslim family in Kongorpil, Ernakulam, Kerala.
parents and siblings
Father’s name was VU Khader and mother’s name was Chithumma.
wife and children
VK Ebrahim Kunju is married to Nadeera and they have three children Adv. Abdul Ghafoor, Abbas and Anwar. His son Adv. Abdul Ghafoor contested the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections as the Indian Union Muslim League candidate from the Kalamaseri Assembly constituency in Ernakulam, Kerala. VK Ebrahim Kunju represented Kalamaser Assembly Constituency from 2011 to 2021.
Career
politics
VK Ebrahim Kunju began his political career as a member of the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), the student wing of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) in Kerala, and later joined the Muslim Youth League. Kunju became one of the prominent leaders of the Muslim League in Kerala. He was a member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly for 20 consecutive years from 2001 to 2021, during which he was given ministerial responsibilities in various portfolios in the state government.
VK Ebrahim Kunju during his legislative assembly election campaign
Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA).
VK Ebrahim Kunju was the IUML candidate in the 2001 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections; The Indian Union Muslim League was part of the United Democratic Front (UDF), which won the elections and formed the government. He represented Matancheri Assembly Constituency in Ernakulam District of Kerala; He won the election on his debut, defeating the sitting MLA, MA Thomas, an independent candidate. The 2005 ice cream parlor sex scandal led to the resignation of veteran IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty, then Industries Minister. VK Ibrahim Kunju has been appointed by the party leadership to represent the Muslim League in the UDF ministry. He took charge of the Minister of Industry and Social Welfare portfolio on 6 January 2005 and remained in the post until 2006. VK Ebrahim Kunju won the 2006 Kerala Assembly elections against CPI(M) MC Josephine and retained the Matancheri constituency. In 2011, he was fielded by the Muslim League from Kalamaser Assembly constituency and VK Ebrahim Kunju defeated CPI(M)’s K. Chandran Pillai. He was appointed Minister of Public Works under the UDF leadership in the second Ommen Chand ministry; VK Ebrahim Kunju assumed office on 23 May 2011 and completed his tenure on 20 May 2016.
With VK Ebrahim Kunju Oommen Chandy
confrontations
Cognition taken cases
- 1 charge relating to punishment (IPC Section-143)
- 1 charge relating to punishment for rioting (IPC Section-147)
- 1 charge relating to disobedience of order by public servant (IPC Section-188)
- 1 Charge relating to danger or obstruction to public way or line of navigation (IPC Section-283)
- 1 charge relating to all members of an unlawful assembly guilty of an offense committed in pursuit of a common object (IPC Section-149)
Palarivattom Flyover Scam
The Palarivattam scandal during Oommen Chandy’s second cabinet (2011–16) is considered one of the most scandalous incidents in the history of the Kerala Public Works Department. The Palarivattom scam is about the poorly constructed infrastructure at the pipeline junction at Kochi National Highway Bypass 66. The flyover work started in 2014 during Ommen Chand’s second ministry and VK Ebrahim Kunju was the then Public Works Minister. The aircraft was commissioned and opened to the public on October 16, 2016.
Stone laying ceremony at Palarivattom
The total construction cost of the flyover was about 47 million GEL. In May 2019, due to the development of surface cracks, the flight was closed. The Kerala state government appointed E Sreedharan of Delhi Metro, concrete expert Prof Mahesh Tandon and IIT Madras Prof P Alagusundara Murthy to inspect the flyover and submit their findings. According to some reports, 17 out of 19 axles and 97 out of 102 had cracks; They proposed to demolish and rebuild them because some of them were a serious threat. A flight survey submitted by the National Highways Authority of India in 2018 revealed that cracks were found on pillars 1, 2, 3, 7, 10 and 12. The committee inspected the flyover and reported the poor stability of the slab and reported that the flyover needed to be demolished and rebuilt. The Palarivattom flight was supposed to last 100 years, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) conducted a site visit and assessed that the construction was shoddy and a loss to the state exchequer. VACB’s findings suggest that VK Ebrahim Kunju illegally sanctioned an amount of 8.25 crores as mobilization advance, fully knowing that no mobilization advance was admissible as per existing rules and tender conditions. There were allegations that the contractor received monetary benefits for this. VACB’s investigation has revealed another financial fraud linked to the Palarivattom scam in which he was accused of giving favors to contractors. On 29 February 2020, he was questioned by the VACB and on 9 March 2020, the vigilante raided his house. VK Ebrahim Kunju was arrested by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on 18 November 2020 after Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan sanctioned an investigation into corruption allegations against him. The court sentenced him to 14 days of imprisonment; However, he was sent to a private hospital in Cochin where he was treated for multiple myeloma cancer. The arrest of VK Ebrahim Kunju was recorded at the hospital and he was named as the fifth accused in the scam. After the Kerala High Court on January 8, 2021 granted bail in the anticipatory bail suit. The decision to release him on bail was made after considering his health condition. Medical reports submitted by his lawyers indicated that he had terminal multiple myeloma cancer and required medical attention. The Palarivattom flyover scam was one of the major talking points during the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections, which was exploited by the Left Democratic Front in the Kalamaseri Assembly constituency. VK Ebrahim Kunju, who represented the constituency for 10 years between 2011 and 2021, has decided not to contest the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections and his son, Adv. Abdul Ghafoor has been declared as the IUML candidate from the constituency. According to some reports, VK Ebrahim Kunju’s candidacy was opposed by a faction within the Congress and the Muslim League; However, VK Ebrahim Kunju dismissed the rumours, citing ill health as the reason for his withdrawal. The 2021 Kalamaseri Assembly Constituency elections marked the LDF’s first victory in the constituency since its inception. P. Rajeev of the CPI(M) symbolized his victory as the people’s victory over the culture of corruption through democratic means.
Whitening of the sky
In 2019, the Kerala High Court directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to conduct an investigation against VK Ebrahim Kunju after Girish Babu, a resident of Kalamassery, filed a Public Interest Litigation accusing the former minister of money laundering. Giresh accused Ebrahim Kunju of depositing black money worth around Rs 10 crore in the bank account of IUML mouthpiece Chandrika, a daily in Kerala. It was alleged that the amount was deposited around the time the Center banned high-value Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes (November 2016). It was speculated that the amount was linked to the Palarivattom scam. The Indian Union Muslim League leadership defended VK Ebrahim Kunju, dismissing the allegations as baseless and saying the transactions were part of routine long-term subscriber funds collected by the newspaper’s management. Girish, in May 2020, filed a petition alleging that VK Ebrahim Kunju pressured him to withdraw the case and offered a sum of Rs 5 lakh.
ᐯildo
- He received the Kelly Kerala Award in 2013 for best performance in literary, cultural, political and social sectors.
- VK Ebrahim Kunju won the Kerala Ratna Puraskaram in 2012 (Best Minister).
salary/ income
VK Ebrahim Kunju’s estimated income for the financial year 2009-2010 was Rs 94,540.
assets and properties
movable assets
- Deposits in banks, financial institutions and non-bank financial companies: Rs. 6,08,816
- Bonds, bonds and shares in companies: Rs. 3000
- LIC or other insurance policy: Rs. 13,00,000
- Motor Vehicles: Rs. 5,90,000
real estate
- Non-agricultural land: Rs. 14,00,000
- Commercial buildings: Rs. 30,00,000
- Residential buildings: Rs. 1,36,00,000
Note: The given valuations of movable and immovable property are given as of 2021. It excludes assets owned by his spouse and dependents (minors).
Net worth
VK Ebrahim Kunju’s net worth in 2011 was estimated at Rs 2,05,07,816. It excludes the net worth of his spouse and dependents (minors).
Facts/Trivia
- In his spare time, VK Ebrahim Kunju enjoys reading, sightseeing and boating.
- He served as Ernakulam District Secretary/General Secretary of Indian Union Muslim League for 25 years.
- V.K. Ebrahim Kunju was diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer and underwent chemotherapy in 2020.
- He was the Chairman of Forest Industries (Travancore) Limited (a Kerala Government Institution) from 1993-1996.
Categories: Politics
Source: dienchau2.edu.vn
