T’puram: The National Right to Information Collective has petitioned CM V D Satheesan, urging him not to consider former Nilambur MLA P V Anvar for appointment as chairperson of any govt board or corporation. The collective’s state coordinator KV Shaji alleged in his petition that Anvar is an accused in 12 criminal cases, including a Kerala Financial Corporation loan fraud that allegedly caused the state govt a loss of Rs22,30,88,817.“The affidavit accompanying the nomination papers of Anvar, who contested the previous assembly election as an independent candidate from Beypore, listed details of the 11 criminal cases against him. If the phone-tapping case registered by Malappuram Police on the directive of the high court is taken into account, the total number of cases against him would be 12,” wrote Shaji in his petition. The case was not mentioned in the election affidavit.Enforcement directorate had conducted raids at the residences and establishments of Anvar and his partners in connection with alleged black-money transactions and registered a case, he added.Income tax department had issued him a notice to pay a penalty for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his income. On Aug 26, 2023, Thamarassery taluk land board had ordered the confiscation of 6.24 acres he allegedly acquired in violation of Kerala Land Reforms Act and its transfer to the govt. If he is given a govt position, there is a possibility that he may use it to interfere with the investigation into the cases against him, said the petition.
