KOCHI: The High Court has expressed doubts over the sustainability of the Thiruvananthapuram CBI court order, discharging the seven accused, including CPM leader Pinarayi Vijayan, in the SNC Lavalin case.
Justice P Ubaid made the observation while accepting the State's argument for speeding up the hearing of revision petitions, challenging the acquittal of Mr Vijayan and others in the case.
The court passed the order on January 15 but the signed copy of the order was issued to the state and other parties on Tuesday.
The outcome of the hearing will have a direct impact on prospects of Mr Vijayan, who is all set to contest in the upcoming Assembly polls.
If the court finally finds nothing erroneous in the discharge, Mr Vijayan will be cruising towards electioneering. But if the court orders trial, Mr Vijayan’s status reverts to accused.
The high court is set to consider three revision petitions, including one filed by Mr K M Shajahan, former aide to Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan, in the last week of February. If the parties complete arguments in time, the court may pronounce the order early March.
The court had observed that it found substance in the contentions of the government and the CBI. Justice Ubaid also observed that the court would take earnest efforts to hear and dispose of the case without delay.
The CBI court discharged the accused in 2013 and three revision petitions, including the one filed by CBI, were filed before the high court subsequently.
Two single judges recused themselves from the hearing and Justice K Ramakrishnan issued notices to the respondents, including Mr Vijayan.
But owing to the non-acceptance of the notice by a party in the case, the hearing was delayed indefinitely and the State Government was forced to file a petition seeking an early hearing of the case.
