The Vaikom bribery case has widened after vigilance officials allegedly found that Circle Inspector Shameer Khan used a bank account opened in another person’s name to receive money from tipper truck owners and members of an illegal sand-mining network in Kottayam district.
The alleged irregularity surfaced during a vigilance inspection at the Vaikom circle inspector’s office. The inspection was initiated after officials received information about Khan’s alleged links with the sand mafia, according to the report by vigilance officials cited by the Times of India.
Officials said the bank account was opened last month at a Canara Bank branch in Vaikom using the Aadhaar and PAN details of a person from Assam. The account was allegedly used to collect payments from tipper operators and others linked to the sand-mining network. The report did not identify the Assam resident or state whether the person had authorised the opening or operation of the account.
According to vigilance officials, the ATM card connected to the account was used by Khan. Whenever deposits of Rs 10,000 or more were made, he allegedly withdrew the money from different automated teller machines. Officials further alleged that the withdrawals were carried out with the person wearing a mask and helmet to avoid being identified on surveillance cameras.
The vigilance team has collected CCTV footage connected with the alleged withdrawals and visited the Canara Bank branch to gather additional evidence. The footage and bank-related records are expected to form part of the material examined before the department submits its report against the officer.
The case highlights the enforcement challenge surrounding unauthorised sand extraction and the movement of construction materials through local transport networks. Tipper operators are a critical link in the supply chain, and allegations that payments were collected through a bank account held in another person’s name raise questions about the monitoring of police conduct, financial trails and local enforcement mechanisms.
Vigilance officials said the report against Khan would be submitted for further action after the details of the account are verified. The available report records allegations by the vigilance department and does not indicate that a final finding has been issued against the officer. Further action will depend on the verification of the account, transaction records, CCTV footage and other evidence gathered during the inspection.
