THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hardly six months after the Kerala High Court let him off, the Lavalin ghost has come back to haunt Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The apex court notice has pushed the 73-year-old once again on the back foot.
A more than two-decade-old SNC Lavalin corruption case had cast a shadow over the Communist party and the CPM strongman for long.
Though the party always stood by him, there were frequent setbacks in the form of court verdicts, mostly initiated by none other than his bete-noire in the party VS Achuthanandan. Continuing with its earlier stance, the CPM maintained it was a politically-motivated move by the CBI, backed by the Central Government.
Terming the Supreme Court issuing notice to Pinarayi natural, senior leader S Ramachandran Pillai said, “The appeal against the High Court verdict itself was politically-motivated. The CPM will fight the case legally as well as politically.”
The BJP would try to take it up with a new vigour.
“The CBI should put forth its findings before the Supreme Court and bring out Pinarayi’s role in the deal. The SC verdict will be a reply to those who’ve been accusing a BJP-CPM understanding in the mater. The Union Government will not do anything to protect the corrupt,” he said.
Meanwhile, KPCC chief MM Hassan told Express it is too early to comment on the issue. “The case should be completed in a time-bound manner,” Hassan said.
It was in June 2013 that a trial court discharged Pinarayi Vijayan, from the graft case. Pronouncing the judgement, the CBI judge had observed the CBI failed to establish dishonest and fraudulent intention, abuse of official position, criminal conspiracy and element of cheating with regard to the contract awarded to Canadian company SNC Lavalin for the renovation of three hydel projects.
In a 67-page verdict, the court said the charges levelled against Pinarayi and others were groundless.Later the CBI approached the High court.
In its revision petition filed in the High court, the CBI contended the special court did not take into account the huge financial loss incurred by the government and the state exchequer while discharging Vijayan and other accused.
In January 2016, months before the last Assembly polls, Vijayan had to undergo another ordeal when the then Oommen Chandy government approached the High court seeking speedy hearing of the petition challenging the discharge of Vijayan and others.
In a major relief to Pinarayi and the CPM, the High Court pronounced its verdict in August 2017 upholding Vijayan’s discharge.