KOCHI: Former power department joint secretary A Francis, who was acquitted in the SNC Lavalin case, approached the Supreme Court on Monday seeking to postpone the hearing in the case to produce additional documents. The application was filed through his counsel Prakash Ranjan Nayak. If the CBI counsel makes any statement regarding the case in the apex court on Tuesday, it will assume political significance as Kerala goes to the polls on the day.
A Bench comprising Justice U U Lalit and Justice Indira Banerjee will consider a batch of special leave petitions, including those filed by CBI challenging the acquittal of first accused K Mohana Chandran, former principal secretary of electricity department who later became the KSEB chairman, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who is the seventh accused and eighth accused A Francis.
The High Court had found that three persons had no direct role in the making of the consultancy contracts or the supply contracts. They also had no involvement in the modernisation and renovation of Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniar hydroelectric projects, the High Court ruled. Second accused and former KSEB chief accounts officer K G Rajesekharan Nair and then chief engineer Kasthuri Ranga Iyer, who were asked to face trial, have also filed pleas.