Ex-Chief Secretary K.M. Abraham Faces CBI Probe Over Disproportionate Assets: Kerala HC Orders Enquiry [Read Order]

The Kerala High Court has ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) enquiry against K.M. Abraham, former Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister of Kerala and current Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, in a case involving allegations of illegal amassment of wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income.

The case originated following a petition filed by social activist Jomon Puthenpurackal against the State of Kerala, Abraham, Superintendent of Police and the CBI. The petition was filed in 2018 after the Vigilance Department, under the tenure of Jacob Thomas as Director, had investigated the matter and closed the complaint.

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The key allegation raised was that Abraham, while serving as the Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department in 2015, had amassed substantial assets far exceeding his lawful income.

It was further contended that Abraham owned properties in Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kollam, and had been paying monthly loan installments surpassing his known earnings.

Appearing for K.M. Abraham, Advocates S. Chandrasekharan Nair, S. Jayant, Jerees J., and Prasanth N.L. contested the allegations. On behalf of the CBI, Additional Solicitor General of India P. Vijayakumar, Deputy Solicitor General of India Manu S., and Special Public Prosecutor Sreelal N. Warrier appeared before the Kerala High Court.

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A Single-Judge Bench of Justice K. Babu observed that the allegations raised against Abraham required a thorough and impartial investigation which could not be effectively carried out by the State Vigilance Department alone, considering the nature of the case and the positions held by Abraham.

In light of the prevailing circumstances, Justice Babu directed the Vigilance Department to hand over all relevant case files to the CBI and ordered that the Kochi unit of the CBI shall undertake the investigation as reported by Live Law.

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The case has garnered significant attention, particularly in light of Abraham’s current roles as CEO of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) and Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister. According to information disclosed in the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Abraham had received five pay hikes between 2019 and 2024, earning a cumulative income of ₹2.73 crores over six years as the CEO of KIIFB.

Despite his significant official earnings, allegations regarding the disproportionate accumulation of wealth have persisted.

The matter awaits finality, as the CBI is slated to undertake the inquiry proceedings

To Read the full text of the Order CLICK HERE

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