Vigilance commences probe into KIIFB land acquisitions

Image for representation. The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has launched an investigation into alleged irregularities in land acquisitions undertaken using funds from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) in Kannur and Palakkad.As part of the preliminary investigation, the Vigilance team has collected documents from KIIFB relating to fund allocation and land acquisition.Procedural lapsesThe government had two weeks ago instituted a probe by the VACB into the alleged procedural lapses during the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s tenure in its decision to acquire 4,896 acres in Kannur and 470 acres in Palakkad at a cost of ₹12,710 crore through KIIFB apparently to establish industrial zones.It has been alleged that the decision had been allegedly taken merely on the basis of a concept note prepared by the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA), and was not based on any comprehensive cost-benefit analysis based on land requirement, financial viability and concrete projects.SIT formedThe government had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Vigilance Superintendent of Police E.N. Suresh, with the probe being monitored by Thomson Jose, Inspector General in-charge, VACB.The investigators have also approached the Inspector General of Registration for details of land transactions, sale prices and registration records to examine the financial aspects of the acquisitions. Published - November 10, 2026 08:32 pm IST