The CEO of the Kerala Maritime Board, T P Salim Kumar, has been removed from his post after he testified to the police that the office of the State Minister for Ports intervened in granting registration for a boat that later sank, resulting in the death of 22 people. In his statement, Kumar said that an additional private secretary to the Ports Minister had called him to consider the application for registration of the boat. However, Kumar clarified that he approved the registration because it was “legally feasible” and not because of the call. The statement also revealed irregularities in the registration process and that the boat had been built without obtaining prior permission. The role of the Minister’s office in the incident is now under suspicion.
Despite Kumar’s statement, the alleged intervention of the Minister’s office is not currently being investigated. There is an attempt to shift the blame onto the former CEO and officials under him. Shine A Haq, the Additional Secretary to the General Administration Department, has been appointed as the new CEO. The government stated that Haq was chosen for his experience in administrative and service matters.
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