Vigilance team raids Kannur panchayat office over ₹12-crore contract irregularities

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) conducted a raid at the district panchayat office in Kannur on Wednesday, seizing files and records related to contracts valued at approximately ₹12 crore. The operation marks an escalation in the bureau's investigation into alleged financial irregularities and procedural violations in the awarding and execution of these agreements.

According to officials, the seized documents pertain to multiple contracts executed by the panchayat administration over the past fiscal year. The VACB is examining whether proper tender procedures were followed and if there were any instances of favoritism or financial misconduct in the contracting process.

The raid comes after the bureau received complaints regarding the manner in which certain contracts were awarded and executed. Initial scrutiny had raised questions about compliance with government procurement norms and the authenticity of bid processes.

The district panchayat administration has stated it will extend full cooperation to the investigating agency. Officials familiar with the matter indicated that preliminary findings would be presented to higher authorities once the documents are thoroughly examined. The investigation is expected to determine whether any recoverable amount of public funds needs to be retrieved.