Expanding its investigation into the illegal construction of apartments in Maradu to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, the Crime Branch on Friday raided the head office of Jain Housing and Construction Limited in Chennai.
According to sources, the investigation team has seized crucial documents. “Our aim was to look for documents and to question the managing director of the company. However, none of the directors were present at the office. We had sent a notice asking the senior officials to present themselves before us but they did not respond,” said a senior officer with the investigation team.
The crime branch team, which conducted raids in Chennai, were led by two officers in the rank of circle inspector.
The crime branch had already raided the offices of the builder in Kochi and seized important documents. Meanwhile, sources said that they were yet to track down Jayaram Naik, who was the then UD clerk in Maradu panchayat when the permit for the construction of apartment complexes were issued in violation of CRZ norms.
He has been listed as the fourth accused in the remand report submitted by the crime branch before the vigilance court in Muvattupuzha. Official sources said that the accused has neither turned up at his office or at his home.
“At present, he is believed to be absconding, and we are on the process of tracking him down. We will be focusing more on local body officials and politicians associated with the case, once we are done with the builders. Presently, our focus is to get to the builders,” said an official.
Sani Francis, director of Holy Faith Builders and Developers Private Limited, one of the four builders, Mohammed Ashraf and P E Joseph, who were the secretary and the junior superintendent of the Maradu panchayat when the permits were granted for the illegal constructions, were arrested by the crime branch a few days ago.
The crime branch has sought the custody of the accused for further interrogation and the court is likely to grant the agency permission on Saturday. The accused have moved court seeking bail.
The three-member committee headed by Justice K Balakrishnan Nair considered 143 claim petitions on Friday. Out of them, 58 petitions were cleared and an interim compensation of Rs 10.22 crore has been recommended. The remaining 85 petitions will be considered on Tuesday.
“Monday will be a holiday due to the elections. The claim petitioners have been directed to produce additional materials to sustain their claim regarding actual amounts paid by them to the builders,” said a member of the committee.
