T. U. Kuruvilla
T. U. Kuruvilla is a politician from Kerala, India. He was born at Oonjappara, Kothamangalam, Kerala, on 13 August 1936, to Uthuppu and Mariyam. He did his Diploma in Civil Engineering. He is a well known Agriculturist and Businessman. He got elected to Kerala Legislative Assembly consecutively in 2006 and 2011 from Kothamangalam constituency. Kuruvilla served as Public Works Minister in the government led by V. S. Achuthanandan for a short period. He belongs to Kerala Congress (Mani), and represented Kothamangalam from 2006 to 2016 in legislative assembly of Kerala. Kuruvilla belongs to Syriac Orthodox Church and  served as its Lay Secretary for quite a long time. He was decorated with Chevalier title & Mor Aphrem Medal, Commander Title and Bar E'tho Shariro Title, by Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, the Supreme head of Universal Syriac Orthodox Church for his contributions to Society and Church. Considering Chev. Kuruvilla's humanitarian activities and contributions to the Society, South Eastern University, London, conferred him an honorary doctorate (DLitt). Political career. He was the president of Keerampara Panchayat in Eranakulam district, Kerala for fourteen years (1964-1978), President of Keerampara Service Co-Operative Society (1966-1970), Chairman of Block Development Committee , Kothamangalam (1970-1978), Chairman of Plantation Corporation of Kerala (1982-1987). He was also the chairman of the Kerala State Housing Board (KSHB) during 1996-2001. He defeated UDF candidate V. J. Paulose in 2006 assembly elections in Kothamangalam. He participated in 2016 kerala assembly election representing kothamangalam assembly constituency and defeated by opposition candidate Antony John of communist party. At present, he is the Vice-Chairman of the Kerala Congress(M) Party and also a notable person both in the socio-political and the church circles. Minister. He became minister for Public works in Kerala cabinet in November 2006 when  P. J. Joseph stepped down following allegations that he had misbehaved with a woman co-passenger while on a flight journey. Controversy. Kuruvilla resigned from the Kerala cabinet on 2 September 2007, after an initial investigation report by the then district Collector of Idukki, Raju Narayana Swamy "found misappropriations in the land dealings in which Minister Kuruvilla and his family is involved". According to a Kuwait-based NRI businessman K.G. Abraham, the minister’s son and two daughters had signed a contract with him to purchase of land in Munnar. In this purpose, they accepted Rs. 67 million from him . However, the deal could not be transacted because the land in question allegedly did not belong to the family, and Kuruvilla refused to return the money. Subsequently, party leader P J Joseph, promised to return the money to Abraham . Kuruvilla had to resign and Monce Joseph from the KC(J) became the new PWD minister. However, since there was no credible inquiry, Joseph later claimed that neither the report of the district collector nor that of the chief secretary accused Kuruvilla of any malpractices. He further said that there was a conspiracy against the party and Kuruvilla to taint them. On  15 May 2008, Kerala police informed a lower court that the case of forgery against him was a "mistake of fact" and they could not find any substantive evidences.