Kochi: The state government on Wednesday approached Kerala High Court seeking to advance the hearing in the revision petitions challenging the acquittal of CPM leader Pinarayi Vijayan in the SNC-Lavalin case. Director-General of Prosecutions T. Asaf Ali submitted the plea arguing that the loss suffered by the state and the KSEB was huge and that there was no justification in delaying the hearing of the case under one pretext or another. The delaying tactics adopted by the accused in the case have to be viewed seriously, the DGP argued.
According to the DGP, the Special Judge ignored the evidence produced by the prosecution against the accused and illegally discharged the accused persons without any valid grounds. It was to note that Mr Pinarayi had challenged the order of sanction accorded by the Governor of Kerala for prosecuting him before the Supreme Court and that it was dismissed.
The revision petitions filed by CBI, K.R. Unnithan, member of E. Balanandan committee and T.P. Nandakumar seeking to quash the order of Thiruavananthapuram CBI Special Court acquitting Mr Pinarayi Vijayan and six others in the SNC-Lavalin graft case is pending before the court.
The state submitted that the respondents in the case had been wilfully evading summons and hence there was no legal bar in hearing the other two revision petitions. At present, the hearing in the revision petitions has been adjourned due to the fact that the service of notice to one of the respondents was not complete.
The case relates to the misappropriation of funds in connection with the award of supply contract to a Canadian company – SNC-Lavlin Inc. regarding renovation and modernization (R&M) of three hydro- electric projects- Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniar-- by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).
