Kochi: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has instructed KA Ratheesh, a primary accused in the Cashew Development Corporation corruption case, to step down from all his current official positions. Ratheesh has been asked to resign as Secretary of the Kerala Khadi and Village Industries Board, Managing Director of Rutronix, and Chief Executive Officer of the Kerala Khadi Workers’ Welfare Fund Board.
The directive follows sharp criticism from the Kerala High Court regarding a key accused in a major corruption case continuing to hold influential government charges. Facing intense legal and political scrutiny, the state government took action to safeguard its public image.
Ratheesh was named as an accused by the Central Bureau of Investigation in a case involving massive financial losses to the Cashew Development Corporation through irregularities in raw cashew nut imports during his tenure as its Managing Director. His continuation in top public administrative roles while the criminal proceedings were actively underway in court had sparked widespread controversy. To prevent further damage, the Chief Minister directly intervened and called for his immediate resignation.
