Thiruvananthapuram, July 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has closed its eight-year-old probe into allegations against Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan over the collection of funds from the UK for rebuilding houses after the devastating 2018 floods.
Announcing the closure of the case, state Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the Vigilance investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing by Satheesan and that the matter was formally concluded after the VACB Director submitted the final report.
“There is no Vigilance angle in the matter, and the case has been closed. It is now clear that this was a politically motivated case born out of vendetta,” Chennithala told reporters.
The Home Minister said he had personally examined the case records and found no material indicating any illegal action by the Chief Minister.
He also pointed out that two earlier inquiries conducted during the previous Pinarayi Vijayan-led government had failed to establish any wrongdoing, a position that was reaffirmed by the latest VACB findings.
The allegations were related to Satheesan’s efforts to raise financial assistance from the Malayali community in the United Kingdom for families affected by the 2018 Kerala floods. A complaint alleged that around Rs 20 lakh was collected through the Manappattu Foundation and transferred through the UK-based Midland International Aid Trust into the foundation’s FCRA account.
The complaint claimed that the receipt of GBP 22,500, approximately Rs 19.95 lakh, violated provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), which restricts politicians from accepting foreign contributions.
However, after examining the matter over several years, investigators found no evidence establishing any Vigilance offence or criminal liability against Satheesan.
The controversy began after former CPI(M) legislator James Mathew raised allegations, following which the then Left Democratic Front government initiated the Vigilance proceedings.
Satheesan had consistently maintained that his efforts were aimed solely at helping flood-affected families and that there was no wrongdoing involved.
With the closure of the case, the long-running controversy surrounding the 2018 flood rehabilitation fund issue has come to an end.
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