Lavalin: Hearing on CBIs revision petition to start from Mar 9

Kochi: The High Court will hear from March 9 a revision petition filed by CBI challenging a special court verdict discharging Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and six others in a case related to alleged corruption in a hydel project deal with a Canadian firm two decades ago. The court Thursday dismissed a petition filed by M R Ajayan, seeking speedy disposal of the revision petition.

Considering the petition, the court found that the petitioner had no interest in the case and it was filed only for publicity.

The court also expressed displeasure over discussions taking place on TV channels about pending cases.

Referring to such a TV channel discussion on the SNC Lavalin case, Justice P Ubaid said, "Judges are aware of their responsibilities, commitments and know how to manage and control the court proceedings." Coming down heavily on such discussions, it said judicial proceedings were not mechanical or electronic processes.

"Judicial process are governed by law", it said.

The revision petition was filed against the November 2013 Thiruvananthapuram CBI special court order,discharging Vijayan and six others from a case relating to alleged loss of Rs 374.50 crore caused by them to the state exchequer in awarding a contract to Canadian firm SNC Lavalin for renovating three hydel projects in the state.

Vijayan was then power minister in the LDF government headed by E K Nayanar.

The previous Congress-led UDF government had alleged that it was Vijayan who had finalised the deal with the Canadian firm.

In February 2016, the high court had rejected a plea by the then UDF government for early hearing of CBIs revision petition, challenging the acquittal of Vijayan.

The CPI(M) had come out publicly against the then UDF government, alleging that it wanted an early hearing in the matter to build a case against the party and its leader Vijayan for political reasons.