Case Filed Against Former Minister Shibu Baby John and Builder Over Apartment Project

Thiruvananthapuram: Police have registered a case against RSP leader Shibu Baby John, his family members, and a builder for allegedly cheating a person by promising to construct and hand over an apartment at Kadakampally, officials said on Friday.

The Thiruvananthapuram Medical College police filed the case on January 10, based on a complaint by K Alex (65), a resident of Pearl Nagar, Parttukonam, Ulloor.

According to the FIR, the accused include Midhun Kuruvilla, managing director of Anta Builders, Annamma Baby John, Shaji Baby John, Shibu Baby John, Reetha Shaji John, Annie Mathew John, and Sheela James.

Shibu Baby John, a senior leader of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and former minister in a UDF government, is also expected to contest the upcoming Assembly election from the Chavara constituency in Kollam district.

The FIR states that Anta Builders, after promising to construct and deliver an apartment to the complainant, received Rs 2 lakh via bank transfer on October 9, 2020, followed by a cheque of Rs 13 lakh on November 21, 2020. An agreement signed on November 19, 2020, listed all the accused as signatories and assured completion and handover of the apartment by August 2022.

The case has been registered under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

Police said the builder had entered an agreement with John and his family to develop apartments on their land, with a share of the profits to be given to them. As the land belonged to John and his family, they were also parties to agreements executed with apartment buyers. However, construction was not completed, and several buyers have yet to receive refunds of advance payments.

Responding to the case, John told a television channel that neither he nor his family had received any money and that they, too, had suffered losses from the stalled project. He said the work stopped after the builder faced issues, and that they were unaware of the complainant or any payments made.

John added that the dispute should have been addressed through the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act authority. He said the conflict between the builder and contractors has been pending in court for the past two years. He also claimed the complainant had previously approached the police, but no case was registered at that time.

“With elections approaching, the case appears to have been registered under pressure. We only became aware of it a few days ago. The police could not provide a clear reason for registering the case now,” he said.

Police officials said the investigation is in its preliminary stages and statements from all accused, including the builder and John’s family members, will be recorded.