CBI raids home, office of AIADMK MP

New Delhi: The CBI has conducted searches at the office and residence of a sitting AIADMK MP in connection with recruitment irregularities at MSS Wakf Board College, Madurai, officials said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation also conducted searches at the residential premises of Jamal Mohideen, then Secretary and Correspondent of the Muslim minority institute, said officials.

The country's premier investigative agency had initially registered a case against A. Anwhar Raajhaa, the Ramanathapuram MP and Mohideen on March 7 as per orders from the High Court of Madras.

It is alleged that Raajhaa and Mohideen conspired to extend Mohideen's position in the governing body of the institution so that both of them could cash in on bribes received in lieu of recruiting assistant professors in the college.

Speaking to the Millennium Post, officials here said that the duo has allegedly taken kickbacks ranging from Rs 32 lakh to Rs 35 lakh for appointing as many as 30 teaching staff to the position of assistant professor.

Officials added that a majority of these appointments were made in complete disregard of University Grants Commission guidelines. In addition, Raajhaa and Mohideen have been accused of misappropriating funds from the college board.

Officials familiar with the case have said that the two also allegedly collected unauthorised amounts from students for admission and retiring staff for processing their terminal benefits.

Until recently, Raajhaa was known to be a vocal critic of the BJP and had been consistent in his stand that the saffron party should not and will not be able to enter the political fold in Tamil Nadu.

However, early this year, he said he was open to allying with the BJP as long as it

helped the State government to win 22 Assembly seats up for by-election in the coming months.