K. T. Jaleel Explained

K. T. Jaleel
Birth Date:30 May 1967
Nationality:Indian
Office:Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Constituency:Thavanur
Predecessor:Constituency established
1Blankname1:Chief Minister
1Namedata1:Pinarayi Vijayan
Office1:Minister for Higher Education, Government of Kerala
Successor1:R. Bindu
Office2:Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Constituency2:Kuttippuram
Predecessor2:P. K. Kunhalikutty
Successor2:Constituency abolished
Party:Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Education:Doctor of Philosophy
Spouse:Fathima Jaleel
Children:3

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]

Education

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

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. 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). 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

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

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]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Members – Kerala Legislature . Niyamasabha.org . 2013-09-08 . 24 August 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130824071127/http://niyamasabha.org/codes/13kla/mem/dr_k_t_jaleel.htm . dead .
  2. News: Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath as Kerala Chief Minister . 26 May 2016 . The Indian Express . Shaju . Philip . 11 August 2019 .
  3. Web site: 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. Web site: Department of History . Psmocollege.ac.in . 2013-09-08.
  5. Web site: Past Students Islamic Movement of India connections still haunts Kerala minister K T Jaleel. 18 September 2020. Deccan Herald.
  6. Web site: The curious trajectory of KT Jaleel's political rise. The New Indian Express.
  7. Web site: 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. News18.
  8. News: Anandan. S.. 2020-09-20. K.T. Jaleel — a giant killer in the dock. The Hindu. 2020-09-20. 0971-751X.
  9. Web site: 2006-05-14. Kerala News : IUML citadel no more invincible. https://archive.today/20130811101851/http://www.hindu.com/2006/05/14/stories/2006051400530500.htm. dead. 2013-08-11. The Hindu. 2013-09-08.
  10. Web site: 2011-04-11. Kerala News : A hard fight for UDF, LDF in Thavanur. https://web.archive.org/web/20110415232923/http://www.hindu.com/2011/04/11/stories/2011041155680700.htm. dead. 2011-04-15. The Hindu. 2013-09-08.
  11. Web site: Tavanur Election and Results 2018, Candidate list, Winner, Runner-up, Current MLA and Previous MLAs.
  12. Web site: K.T. Jaleel accused of nepotism . The News Minute . 2018-11-12.
  13. Web site: 2019-07-11. കെ.ടി.ജലീലിനെതിരായ ഹര്‍ജി ഫിറോസ് പിന്‍വലിച്ചു; ഹര്‍ജി തള്ളി ഹൈക്കോടതി. 2020-09-16. Indian Express Malayalam. ml.
  14. Web site: 16 calls made between CPI(M) leader KT Jaleel and Kerala gold scam accused Swapna Suresh . The News Minute . 2018-11-12.
  15. Web site: Kerala minister K T Jaleel resigns after Lokayukta report; HC reserves order on its quashing . The Indian Express. 2021-04-13.
  16. News: System to verify authenticity of work visas . The Hindu . 2009-11-20 . 2013-09-08.
  17. Web site: KT Jaleel faces black flag demo by IUML activists over nepotism charges. Mathrubhumi. 9 November 2018 .
  18. Web site: Nepotism: PK Firos demands to expel minister Jaleel. Mathrubhumi. 3 November 2018 .
  19. Web site: Kerala MLA KT Jaleel approaches SC against Lokayukta in nepotism row. 3 August 2021. The News Minute.
  20. Web site: Kerala minister KT Jaleel quits four days after Lokayutka's 'guilty' verdict. 13 April 2021. Hindustan Times.
  21. News: Adeeb has expertise, govt appointed him: KSMDFC. Staff Reporter. The Hindu . 8 November 2018. www.thehindu.com.
  22. News: Appointment of Jaleel's kin: Lok Ayukta seeks documents. The Hindu . 8 February 2019. www.thehindu.com.
  23. Web site: Youth Congress stages protest march to KT Jaleel's residence. Mathrubhumi. 27 December 2018 .
  24. Web site: ബന്ധു നിയമനം: ഹൈകോടതി വിധിക്കെതിരെ കെ.ടി. ജലീൽ സുപ്രീംകോടതിയിൽ. മാധ്യമം. ലേഖകൻ. 3 August 2021. www.madhyamam.com.
  25. Web site: Explained: Kerala minister Jaleel and the case of illegal imports through UAE Consulate. 10 November 2020.
  26. Web site: Customs to interrogate minister K T Jaleel. Mathrubhumi. 7 November 2020 .
  27. Web site: NIA questions KT Jaleel in connection with Kerala gold smuggling case. 17 September 2020. Hindustan Times.
  28. News: NIA names Jaleel as witness in gold smuggling case. K. s. Sudhi. The Hindu . 21 February 2021. www.thehindu.com.
  29. Web site: Gold smuggling case: ED collects property details of Minister KT Jaleel. OnManorama.
  30. News: 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. Web site: 2022-09-13 . Kashmir remark: Court directs Delhi Police to register FIR against KT Jaleel . 2022-09-13 . Onmanorama . en.