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K. T. Jaleel

K. T. Jaleel (born 30 May 1967) is an Indian politician from Kerala and a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Thavanur and has served as Minister of Higher Education, Welfare of Minorities, Waqf and Hajj in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) -led ministry. He was first elected to Kerala Legislative Assembly in 2006. He was an Associate Professor of History at P. S. M. O. College, Tirurangadi.[1] He previously served as Minister of Local Administration, Government of Kerala.[2][3]

K. T. Jaleel
Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 June 2011 (2011-06-01)
Preceded byConstituency established
ConstituencyThavanur
Minister for Higher Education & Local Administration, Government of Kerala
In office
14 August 2018 (2018-08-14) – 13 April 2021 (2021-04-13)
Chief MinisterPinarayi Vijayan
Succeeded byR. Bindu
Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
In office
2006 (2006)–2011 (2011)
Preceded byP. K. Kunhalikutty
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
ConstituencyKuttippuram
Personal details
Born (1967-05-30) 30 May 1967 (age 57)
NationalityIndian
Political partyIndependent
SpouseFathima Jaleel
Children3
EducationDoctor of Philosophy

Education

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He completed his Primary education from GUPS-Painkanur, Valanchery and AUPS Velimukku. His secondary education was from Government Higher secondary School, Kuttippuram. He did his pre-degree from Islahiya College, Chenamangalur, and his Graduation and Post-graduation from Pocker Sahib Memorial Orphanage College (PSMO College), Tirurangadi. He owns an M.Phil-degree from University of Calicut and Ph.D. from Kerala University, Thiruvananthapuram for the topic "Role of Variyamkunnath Kunjahammed Haji and Ali Musliyar in the Malabar Rebellion of 1921". He is currently Associate Professor in History, in Pocker Sahib Memorial Orphanage College (PSMO) College, Tirurangadi and settled at Valanchery.[4]

Political life

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He was a follower of the Students' Islamic Movement of India,[5][6] leader as a student and a chairman,[7] then joined the Muslim Students Federation, the students’ wing of the Indian Union Muslim League.[8] He was ousted from the youth wing of IUML following differences with the leadership.[8] Afterwards he contested independently with LDF support.

He was elected as an MLA for the first time in 2006, from Kuttippuram constituency as LDF supported Independent candidate, defeating the then IUML General Secretary[9] P. K. Kunhalikutty. In 2011 he was elected from Thavanoor constituency, defeating V. V. Prakash of Indian National Congress by a margin of 6,854 votes.[10] In 2016 he was reelected from Thavanoor, with a majority of 17,064, against P. Ifthiquarudheen of Indian National Congress.[11]

Jaleel had come under fire after being accused of nepotism by P.K.Firos of Indian Union Muslim League over the appointment of his cousin as the general manager of Kerala State Minorities Development Finance Corporation (KSMDFC).[12] Kerala High Court had dismissed the plea regarding the same on July 11, 2019 and criticised the political agendas behind the petition by Firos.[13] Jaleel was accused of links to the 2020 Kerala gold smuggling case and was questioned by Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).[8] He denied any involvement, saying that the contact with one of the accused Swapna was regarding a charity work as suggested by the Consulate General of UAE.[14]

K T Jaleel resigned four days after a state anti-corruption ombudsman declared him to be guilty of “favouritism and nepotism”.[15] K T Jaleel was elected from the constituency Thavanoor in Malapuram defeating Firos Kunamparambil a charity worker with a vote margin of 2,564 Votes in 2021 Kerala Assembly Election.

Positions held

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He held positions such as: Chairman, P.S. M.O. College Union; he served as MSF chairman in his education period, Malappuram District Council; Director, Kerala Automobiles Ltd and Malcotex, Karthala Chungam; General Secretary, Kerala State Muslim Youth League; Chairman, Standing Committee on Education and Health, District Panchayat Malappuram; Syndicate member, Calicut University; Director of Norka Roots.[16]

Controversies

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In 2019, KT Jaleel had to resign from the Pinarayi cabinet after the Kerala Lokayukta found him guilty of nepotism[17][18] and that he had ‘misused’ his official powers to appoint a family member in Kerala State Minorities Development Finance Corporation[19][20] In 2018, Jaleel had appointed his close relative KT Adeeb[21] as General Manager of the KSMDFC, under the Ministry of Minority Welfare in Kerala.[22][23][24]

In 2020 there was an investigation of the illegal import of dates and religious texts through Diplomatic courier mailed to the UAE Consulate.[25] These emerged during a probe into the smuggling of 30 kg of gold through diplomatic cargo to the Consulate.[26] The National Investigation Agency (NIA) called Jaleel as a witness in the Gold smuggling case,[27] which has listed him as the 114th witness, had recorded his statements on September 17, 2020.[28][29][30] KT Jaleel's Kashmir-related Facebook post also led to controversy.[31]

References

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  1. ^ "Members – Kerala Legislature". Niyamasabha.org. Archived from the original on 24 August 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  2. ^ Philip, Shaju (26 May 2016). "Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath as Kerala Chief Minister". The Indian Express. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  3. ^ "SIMI Leader to CPM Poster Boy: The Rise and Rise of KT Jaleel Who Was Grilled by ED in Gold Smuggling Case". 14 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Department of History". Psmocollege.ac.in. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  5. ^ "Past Students Islamic Movement of India connections still haunts Kerala minister K T Jaleel". Deccan Herald. 18 September 2020.
  6. ^ "The curious trajectory of KT Jaleel's political rise". The New Indian Express.
  7. ^ "SIMI Leader to CPM Poster Boy: The Rise and Rise of KT Jaleel Who Was Grilled By ED in Gold Smuggling Case". News18. 14 September 2020.
  8. ^ a b c Anandan, S. (20 September 2020). "K.T. Jaleel — a giant killer in the dock". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  9. ^ "Kerala News : IUML citadel no more invincible". The Hindu. 14 May 2006. Archived from the original on 11 August 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  10. ^ "Kerala News : A hard fight for UDF, LDF in Thavanur". The Hindu. 11 April 2011. Archived from the original on 15 April 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  11. ^ "Tavanur Election and Results 2018, Candidate list, Winner, Runner-up, Current MLA and Previous MLAs".
  12. ^ "K.T. Jaleel accused of nepotism". The News Minute. 12 November 2018.
  13. ^ "കെ.ടി.ജലീലിനെതിരായ ഹര്‍ജി ഫിറോസ് പിന്‍വലിച്ചു; ഹര്‍ജി തള്ളി ഹൈക്കോടതി". Indian Express Malayalam (in Malayalam). 11 July 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  14. ^ "16 calls made between CPI(M) leader KT Jaleel and Kerala gold scam accused Swapna Suresh". The News Minute. 12 November 2018.
  15. ^ "Kerala minister K T Jaleel resigns after Lokayukta report; HC reserves order on its quashing". The Indian Express. 13 April 2021.
  16. ^ "System to verify authenticity of work visas". The Hindu. 20 November 2009. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  17. ^ "KT Jaleel faces black flag demo by IUML activists over nepotism charges". Mathrubhumi. 9 November 2018.
  18. ^ "Nepotism: PK Firos demands to expel minister Jaleel". Mathrubhumi. 3 November 2018.
  19. ^ "Kerala MLA KT Jaleel approaches SC against Lokayukta in nepotism row". The News Minute. 3 August 2021.
  20. ^ "Kerala minister KT Jaleel quits four days after Lokayutka's 'guilty' verdict". Hindustan Times. 13 April 2021.
  21. ^ Staff Reporter (8 November 2018). "Adeeb has expertise, govt appointed him: KSMDFC". The Hindu – via www.thehindu.com.
  22. ^ "Appointment of Jaleel's kin: Lok Ayukta seeks documents". The Hindu. 8 February 2019 – via www.thehindu.com.
  23. ^ "Youth Congress stages protest march to KT Jaleel's residence". Mathrubhumi. 27 December 2018.
  24. ^ ലേഖകൻ, മാധ്യമം (3 August 2021). "ബന്ധു നിയമനം: ഹൈകോടതി വിധിക്കെതിരെ കെ.ടി. ജലീൽ സുപ്രീംകോടതിയിൽ". www.madhyamam.com.
  25. ^ "Explained: Kerala minister Jaleel and the case of illegal imports through UAE Consulate". 10 November 2020.
  26. ^ "Customs to interrogate minister K T Jaleel". Mathrubhumi. 7 November 2020.
  27. ^ "NIA questions KT Jaleel in connection with Kerala gold smuggling case". Hindustan Times. 17 September 2020.
  28. ^ Sudhi, K. s (21 February 2021). "NIA names Jaleel as witness in gold smuggling case". The Hindu – via www.thehindu.com.
  29. ^ "Gold smuggling case: ED collects property details of Minister KT Jaleel". OnManorama.
  30. ^ "Kerala gold smuggling case: After ED & NIA, Customs quiz minister KT Jaleel | Kochi News - Times of India". The Times of India. 9 November 2020.
  31. ^ "Kashmir remark: Court directs Delhi Police to register FIR against KT Jaleel". Onmanorama. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
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