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Pinarayi, others given summons in Lavalin case
The already tense atmosphere in the troubled ruling Left Front camp in Kerala worsened on Tuesday as a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court issued summons to nine persons accused in the SNC Lavalin corruption case, including Pinarayi Vijayan, secretary of the state wing of the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M).
- By Akhel Mathew, Correspondent
- Published: 22:56 June 23, 2009
Thiruvananthapuram: The already tense atmosphere in the troubled ruling Left Front camp in Kerala worsened on Tuesday as a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court issued summons to nine persons accused in the SNC Lavalin corruption case, including Pinarayi Vijayan, secretary of the state wing of the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M).
The accused will have to appear before the court on September 24.
The development comes just a few days after Vijayan had openly expressed anger at camera crews of broadcast media who had constantly trailed him in New Delhi where he had gone to attend the central committee meeting of the party.
The summons is being sent hardly a fortnight after the CBI filed the chargesheet in the case, in which Vijayan and others are accused of having entered into a deal with the Canadian company SNC Lavalin for renovation work at some hydel power projects in the state. Financial irregularities later came to light in the contract.
A deal worth Rs3.74 billion (Dh282.4 million), was struck with the company whereby it was expected to repair and upgrade three hydro-electric projects in the state.
Official assessments however showed there was hardly any improvement in the efficiencies of the three power units despite the investment.
In another surprise development, the court has also directed a fresh investigation into the involvement of former power minister and Congress party leader G. Karthikeyan in the case.
Karthikeyan, who was Vijayan's predecessor as power minister, had earlier been released from the case on the ground that there was not enough evidence against him.
The summons sent to Vijayan is considered a major setback for the CPI-M in Kerala as well as nationally considering his status as the state secretary and a politburo member of the party. He is also the first politburo member to be prosecuted in a corruption case.
The Lavalin case has also heightened the internal turmoil in the CPI-M, with state chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan insisting that the governor R.S. Gavai had not erred in giving sanction to the CBI to prosecute Vijayan, and Vijayan's supporters launching an agitation against the governor.
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