Kerala Police has named Justice CN Ramachandran Nair, former judge of the Kerala High Court, as an accused in a case related to the multi-crore Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund scam.
The CSR fund scam case involved allegations that one Ananthu Krishnan defrauded several people and charitable societies by promising to deliver two-wheelers, laptops, sewing machines, and household appliances at half the market price.
Krishnan would allegedly claim that he was procuring these items using the CSR funds of several private firms.
Police said that Krishnan, claiming to be the coordinator of the National NGO Confederation, approached several charitable organisations with his fraudulent offer. These organisations in turn helped him to identify beneficiaries and pooled funds with him as well.
Police stations across Kerala have been flooded with complaints from those who were defrauded by Krishnan.
Justice Nair has been named as the third accused in a first information report (FIR) registered by the Perinthalmanna Police Station in Malappuram district of Kerala, based on a complaint filed by one Danimon, President of the Angadippuram Kisan Service Society (KSS), an implementing agency.
Danimon alleged that the NGO Confederation and its office bearers swindled Rs 34 lakh from KSS between April and November 2024.
Justice Nair has been arrayed as an accused in his capacity as a trustee of the National NGO Confederation. He was booked under Sections 318(4) (cheating inducing delivery of property) and 3(5) (offence committed by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Ananthu Krishnan has been arrayed as the second accused as the Chairman of the Confederation, while National NGO Confederation has been named as the first accused in the FIR.
Refuting the allegations publicly, Justice Nair said that he was not a trustee of the NGO, adding that he had severed all ties with the said organisation some time ago.
Justice Nair was recently appointed by the Kerala government to head an inquiry commission regarding the Munambam land dispute.
High Court lawyer Kulathoor Jaisingh has written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, seeking removal of Justice Nair from the Commission.
IUML MLA Najeeb Kanthapuram and Congress leader Laly Vincent have also been accused in the CSR fund scam case. The Kerala High Court recently granted interim protection from arrest to vencent.
An NGO headed by BJP leader AN Radhakrishnan has also been named in some complaints.