Kerala's Director General of Police, Shaik Darvesh Saheb, is under intense scrutiny over a breach of contract complaint related to a property sale involving his wife. The controversy began when Umar Sherief filed a complaint after a local court attached property owned by the DGP's wife, following a failed sale agreement.
In June 2023, the DGP's wife agreed to sell 10.8 cents of land to Sherief for Rs 74 lakh. Sherief claims he initially paid Rs 15 lakh and Rs 10 lakh through bank transactions, followed by Rs 5 lakh in cash directly to the DGP at his office, which Saheb acknowledged. Despite paying Rs 30 lakh, Sherief did not receive the property documents. He later discovered the property was pledged to a commercial bank, prompting him to request a refund of his advance payment. The DGP allegedly refused, stating he would return the money after selling the land to someone else.
Sherief sought legal recourse, leading to the court's attachment of the property last week, escalating the DGP's troubles. Sherief insists he only wants his Rs 30 lakh back, a sum he has documented proof of, not any further complications.
This case also raises questions about potential action from Income Tax authorities, as receiving Rs 5 lakh in cash is against the law, and this amount was reportedly received by the DGP in his office.
Following public exposure of the issue on July 1, the state police chief is reportedly seeking to settle the matter by refunding the Rs 30 lakh to Sherief. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his office are also under fire for failing to act on Sherief's June 24 complaint and for extending the DGP's tenure by a year just days before his scheduled retirement on June 30. The CM's office faces criticism for extending Saheb's tenure despite the ongoing controversy.
