Information Commissioner K Natarajan suspended

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a rare move, the state government Monday suspended State Information Commissioner K Natarajan for allegedly intervening in a land gift case involving Communist Party of India (Marxist) stalwart and leader of the opposition in the state Assembly V S Achuthanandan. Official sources said here that Governor H R Bharadwaj, after consulting with legal experts, signed the suspension orders on the basis of a report submitted by the state government in this regard.

The government also recommended further investigation into the role in the supervision of the Supreme Court as the apex court's sanction was required to remove him from the post.

An inquiry was conducted by ADGP R Sreelekha following a complaint from a vigilance official that Natarajan had allegedly telephoned and asked him to spare VS from being made the first accused in the case relating to the alleged violation of norms while allotting of land to one T K Soman, an ex-serviceman and his close relative, when he was the Chief Minister.