Lavalin: Hearing on CBI's revision plea deferred

Kochi: The High Court Monday deferred till February 16 the hearing on a revision petition filed by the 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.

When the case was taken up for consideration Monday, a 'third party' made a submission, seeking expeditious disposal of the revision petition filed by the CBI.

The court observed that disposal of cases was in the realm of the court and third parties had no role in it.

However, considering the filing of a petition in this regard, Justice P Ubaid adjourned the matter till February 16.

The revision petition was filed against the November 2013 Thiruvananthapuram CBI special court order, discharging Vijayan and six others from a case relating to the 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 the power minister in the LDF government headed by EK 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 an early hearing of the CBI's 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 and its leader Vijayan for political reasons.