Sulthan Bathery police have officially filed a chargesheet against I.C. Balakrishnan, a sitting MLA, and three other prominent Indian National Congress leaders. This significant development comes in connection with the mysterious deaths of Wayanad District Congress Committee (DCC) treasurer N.M. Vijayan, 78, and his son Jijesh, 38.
The father and son were tragically found dead on December 27, 2024, with initial reports suggesting they had consumed poison.
Investigators from the special squad revealed a crucial piece of evidence: a letter penned by Vijayan before his death. Addressed to his elder son and key Congress figures within the state, the letter allegedly detailed a distressing situation. Vijayan claimed that Mr. Balakrishnan and other co-accused had reportedly collected substantial sums from numerous job aspirants, promising them positions in cooperative banks controlled by the Congress party in the region. When these promised appointments never materialized, the disgruntled candidates began demanding their money back. Police concluded that the immense pressure to repay these funds ultimately led Vijayan to take such a drastic step.
The chargesheet formally names I.C. Balakrishnan, along with former DCC president N.D. Appachan, and Congress leaders K.K. Gopinathan and P.V. Balachandran. This document was officially presented to the Sulthan Bathery Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Thursday, October 23, 2025. It’s noteworthy that all four individuals had previously been granted anticipatory bail in connection with this case.
The intricate investigation was meticulously carried out by a dedicated special squad, under the leadership of Deputy Superintendent of Police K.K. Abdul Shareef. The chargesheet he submitted includes testimonies from over 100 witnesses. A significant revelation from the police probe was that N.M. Vijayan was burdened by substantial financial liabilities, amounting to approximately ₹1.5 crore. Furthermore, a comprehensive collection of digital evidence, including records of Vijayan’s telephone conversations and bank transactions, has also been presented to the court.
Separate Corruption Allegations Emerge
Adding another layer to the controversy, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau recently registered a separate case against Mr. Balakrishnan. This new case concerns an alleged corruption incident from 2015, where he is suspected of accepting ₹6 lakh to secure a job appointment at the Sulthan Bathery Primary Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank.
In response to these grave accusations, Mr. Balakrishnan has vehemently denied all allegations, asserting that the documents presented in the case are fabricated. He has publicly called for an impartial investigation into the entire affair. The emergence of this fresh case has prompted Opposition parties and several prominent leaders to demand a comprehensive inquiry into the alleged ‘cash-for-job scheme’ and broader unfair recruitment practices prevalent within the cooperative banking sector.