In a major setback to Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala Government, the High Court has directed an investigation into the state government’s ‘Safe Kerala’ project, which involved the installation of AI surveillance cameras throughout the state. The court’s decision came while considering a plea filed by Opposition leader VD Satheeshan and Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, seeking a court-monitored inquiry into the project.
The Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice SVN Bhatti and Justice Basant Balaji, emphasized the need to examine all deals associated with the ‘Safe Kerala’ project. The court also instructed a scrutiny of the state Treasury to determine if there was a deficit or surplus resulting from the initiative. Additionally, the government was prohibited from transferring funds for the project without obtaining prior approval from the court.
Chennithala welcomed the court’s order and affirmed his commitment to continue the legal battle concerning the alleged irregularities surrounding the project.
The ‘Safe Kerala’ project aimed to implement an Automated Traffic Enforcement System by installing AI cameras across the state to capture traffic violations and issue notices to violators.
The current plea challenges the government’s orders, actions taken by the Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation (KELTRON), and the alleged illegalities and corruption associated with the installation of AI cameras, including nepotism, favoritism, and violations of individuals’ privacy.
According to the petition, KELTRON submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the project with an estimated cost of Rs 236 crore, proposing the Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) method for execution.
However, the petitioners argue that the Finance Department objected to this proposal, claiming that KELTRON lacked the necessary capacity and expertise. They allege that the objections raised by the Finance Department were disregarded under political pressure, resulting in administrative approval and the issuance of a work order to KELTRON.
The Congress leaders assert that KELTRON merely acted as “one of the middlemen” in what they describe as a traffic safety scam. They further claim that the winning bidder, SRIT, did not meet the minimum eligibility criteria and lacked technical expertise in the field. The plea alleges that SRIT was essentially an empty shell controlled by politicians and their family members, who benefited from the project.
The petitioners also accuse corruption in the awarding of subsequent tenders and sub-leasing of the Service Level Agreement (SLA) related to the project.
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