Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 10 — The Special Investigation Team probing the controversial appointment to the Kerala State Planning Board is moving into the next phase of its investigation.
The SIT has decided to question all 16 members of the Kerala Public Service Commission.
The questioning is expected to begin next week, and PSC Chairman M.R. Baiju will be the last to be questioned, according to sources.
The move comes after the SIT completed the first round of its probe, where the investigation had focused on officials connected with the appointment process.
Two PSC officials have already been found to have allegedly erred in the process. The SIT has sought action against them in connection with the case registered over the appointment.
The decision to question all the members of the PSC marks a wider phase of the investigation.
The SIT is expected to examine the role of the commission as a whole in the selection and appointment process. It will also seek to ascertain how the decision was taken and whether the prescribed procedures were followed.
The PSC's Planning Board appointments had triggered questions over the manner in which the candidate was selected through the PSC process. A case was registered following allegations of irregularities in the appointment.
The SIT had subsequently examined officials and documents relating to the selection.
The first round of questioning helped the investigators identify alleged lapses on the part of two PSC officials.
The questioning of the 16 commission members is expected to help the SIT establish whether the alleged lapses were confined to officials involved in the process or whether there were wider issues in the decision-making process.
The Chairman has been kept for the final round of questioning.
The move is significant as the investigation now reaches the highest level of the commission.
The SIT is also expected to examine the statements of the commission members against the documents and records already collected.
The latest move indicates that the SIT is now seeking to establish the complete chain of events behind the appointment.