AI camera row: BJP says Pinarayi Vijayan’s close relative benefitted hugely

Thiruvananthapuram: The BJP on Tuesday alleged that a close relative of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had been benefited in the Rs 232 crore purchase of AI cameras for the Transport Department.

Top state BJP leader Sobha Surendran said the scam’s biggest beneficiary is Vijayan’s son’s father-in-law.

“The Congress leaders have said everything in the corruption with regards to the AI camera for the Transport department, but they, though they know who is behind it, have not named anyone. The biggest beneficiary in this scam is Vijayan’s son’s father-in-law, Prakash Babu. Though he has not taken part in the deal directly, his close aide Premjith is doing all the backdoor work. We demand a probe by a national agency and whenever it happens I will produce all the documents,” said Sobha.

On Tuesday, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan said, “None has forgotten the way he conducted daily press meets (during Covid) and now for long he is silent. I have not seen a more coward Chief Minister than Vijayan. He knows that he has done wrong and hence does not have the guts to come in public as he knows he will not be able to defend the corruption that has taken place in the AI camera scam,” said Satheesan.

Former Leader of Opposition, Ramesh Chennithala who first brought out this scam on Tuesday demanded that it was high time that Vijayan breaks his silence as a staggering Rs 132 crore corruption has taken place in this AI camera installation.

“Anyone who looks into the tender forms will understand that the companies which won the tender has no prior experience. If one looks into the entire contract, one can easily find out that this project can be executed at a cost of Rs 100 crore, but here the total cost has touched Rs 232 crore and it clearly shows that Rs 132 crore is the extent of corruption in this deal which Vijayan knows,” said Chennithala.

With this scam now rocking the Vijayan government, till date Vijayan has not said anything. Barring state Industries Minister P.Rajeev, no one has said anything on this.

–IANS