Kerala minister for higher education and minorities welfare K.T. Jaleel resigned from the state cabinet on Tuesday, days after the Lokayukta found him guilty of nepotism in appointing a relative to a government position.

Although Jaleel had approached Kerala High Court to quash the Lokayukta order, he resigned before the case came up. He announced his decision in a Facebook message describing it as a “temporary relief for those who wants to suck my blood”.

The Muslim Youth League, the youth arm of Indian Union Muslim League, had in November 2018 filed a complaint against Jaleel for allegedly flouting rules to appoint his cousin K.T. Adeeb as the general manager of Kerala State Minorities Development Finance Corporation.

An Independent backed by the ruling Left Democratic Front, Jaleel had contested from the Thavanur Assembly constituency in Malappuram in the April 6 state polls.

The Enforcement Directorate had earlier investigated the minister for alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act for accepting Ramazan food kits and copies of Quran sponsored by the Consulate-General of the UAE in Thiruvananthapuram in 2020.

But Jaleel had maintained that he had only helped the consul-general of the UAE organise and distribute food kits to the poor.