Giving clear signals that the SNC Lavalin accord was signed with the knowledge of CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan when he was the Power Minister in 1998, the CBI on Thursday informed the special court that the partial agreement to modernise three hydro-electric projects was signed in his chamber during his tenure as minister.
SNC Lavalin representative Klaus Triendl and former Electricity Board chairman K S Mohanachandran were present when the agreement was signed in April 1998, the agency told the court while hearing the discharge petition filed by the CPM leader. The CBI also produced two letters in support of its argument that financial assistance for the Malabar Cancer Centre was part of the deal. The next hearing is on October 11.
The SNC Lavalin scam pertains to the renovation of hydro electric power stations at Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniar -- all in Idukki district. In August, while asking the court to dismiss Pinarayi ’s plea for discharge from list of accused in thecase CBI had informed the court that he had “with the ulterior motive for personal gain misled the Cabinet,” of which he was a member from 1996-1998 and obtained a Government Order through “fraudulent means” to execute a contract with SNC Lavalin. According to CBI, the move caused huge loss to public exchequer and undue gain for the company.