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Supreme Court issues notices to CBI, Kerala Govt on Vijayan case

September 1, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Aug 31 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Kerala Government over the state Governor’s permission to CBI to prosecute Pinarayi Vijayan.

The apex court was hearing the petition filed by Vijayan, challenging the governor’s sanction for his prosecution by the CBI.

Vijayan is the politburo member of Communist party of India (Marxist) (CPM)

A bench of the apex court comprising Justice R.V. Ravindran and Justice B.S. Sudarsan Reddy admitted Vijayan’s lawsuit directly for hearing.

The bench stated that the petition involved several important questions of law.

Vijayan is facing the charges of by passing the regulations while awarding a contract to a Canadian based company, SNC Lavalin for renovating three power plants when he was Kerala’s power minister in 1997.

The charges against Vijayan were filed in a special court after Kerala Governor R.S. Gavai gave the green signal to the CBI to prosecute the stalwart of communist movement in June.

Earlier, the central agency had asked Vijayan to appear before the CBI court at Kochi on September 24.

The Rs.374-crore SNC Lavalin scam, has created a tussle between Vijayan and State Chief Minister V.S.Achhuthanandan. (ANI)

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CPI (M) central committee finds Achuthanandan guilty of indiscipline

July 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, July 12 (ANI): The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) after its two-day meet to discuss the Kerala Party matters found the Kerala CM Achuthanandan guilty of violating party’s decipline and removed him from politburo.

“The Central Committee decided that in view of the violations of the organisational principle and discipline by Com. V.S. Achuthanandan, he should be removed from the Polit Bureau. Com. Achuthanandan is the senior most leader who has made a big contribution to the Party in Kerala. The Central Committee expected Com. V.S. to fulfill his responsibilities as the Chief Minister and as a leader of the Party,” stated a communiqué of the CPI (M).

Besides, the committee examined the report submitted by the Polit Bureau on the SNC Lavalin contract for the renovation and modernisation of three hydroelectric projects in Kerala which were entered into by the UDF government in 1995-96 and which were subsequently implemented by the LDF government.

The Central Committee was of the view that Comrade Pinarayi Vijayan, secretary of the Kerala State Committee and the Electricity Minister in the then LDF government between 1996-98 was not involved in any corrupt practice whatsoever.

The Committee reiterated that the Party will fight the case politically and legally,” said a communiqué of the CPI (M) on Sunday.

“The Kerala State Committee should unify the entire Party and go to the people with the political and organisational tasks which have been spelt out in the review of the Lok Sabha elections, stated the release.

The Central Committee authorised the Polit Bureau to take necessary steps to implement the Central Committee’s decisions. (ANI)

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Kerala CM Achuthanandan removed from CPM politburo

July 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, July 12 (ANI): Kerala’s octogenarian Chief Minister and veteran Communist leader, V S Achuthanandan, was on Sunday axed from the Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPI-M) politburo and central committee on grounds of party indiscipline.

Achuthanandan was accused of leaking information related to the party to the media. The CPI-M Central Committee said that it would issue a formal statement this evening after it concludes its two-day meeting here.

No action is likely against the other protagonist in the Kerala CPM Pinarayi Vijayan, party sources revealed.

Achuthanandan and Vijayan, the powerful state secretary, have been at loggerheads for the past few months with Achuthanandan demanding that Vijayan be removed from his post since he has been named an accused by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Rs.374 crore SNC Lavalin corruption case.

The Vijayan faction, in retaliation, has demanded that disciplinary action be taken against Achuthanandan for “violating party discipline”.

Party insiders fear that the CPI-M might split in Kerala if action is taken only against the chief minister. Achuthanandan was removed from the CPI-M politburo for the first time on July 12.chuthanandan will continue being chief minister till the Assembly elections.

The party has constituted an independent probe into allegations against Vijayan, who has been held responsible for what the party called “organisational lapses”. (ANI)

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Vijayan summoned by special CBI court in corruption case

June 23, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kochi, June 23 (ANI): The CBI court on Tuesday issued summons to Kerala CPI (M) State Secretary and former minister Pinarayi Vijayan and eight others in the SNC Lavalin corruption case.

On June 11, the CBI had filed a chargesheet against Vijayan in connection to the SNC Lavalin case in which he is named as the seventh accused.

Vijayan is the first Politburo member to be prosecuted in a corruption case.

As Kerala Power Minister in 1997, Vijayan allegedly had inked a deal with Canadian firm SNC Lavalin to renovate three power projects in the state.

In 2001, the Assembly Subject Committee found that the deal with Lavalin had caused huge losses to the Government.

A CAG report said the state lost 374.5 crore rupees in the deal.

According to the CBI, Vijayan allegedly colluded with others in a criminal conspiracy to favour the firm SNC Lavalin.

The 10-page chargesheet and documents running into 3,000 pages were submitted to special judge P A Jyothindra Nath by CBI Deputy SP Ashok Kumar.

Vijayan has been charged under sections 420 and 120 (B) of the IPC and sections 13 (2) and 13 (1B) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. (ANI)

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Is Kerala CM under pressure to quit for opposing clean chit to Vijayan?

May 8, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Trivandrum, May 8 (ANI): Pressure seems to be building on Kerala Chief Minister VS Achatunandan to quit after he defied CPI (M) stand to give a clean chit to party’s state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in the Lavalin scam.

Sources claim that in a meeting held in the CPI (M) state secretariat in Trivandrum, members asked for Achutanandan’s resignation as he has been defying party’s stand to give a clean chit to Pinarayi Vijayan.

Opposition Congress-led UDF today asked Governor R S Gavai to reject the cabinet decision to deny permission to CBI to prosecute CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan, increasing pressure on the ruling LDF Government in Kerala,.

Kerala’s opposition leader Oommen Chandy led a UDF delegation and submitted a memorandum to Governor Gavai, asking him to take an independent decision on the matter and reject the cabinet decision, which held that there was no ground to prosecute Vijayan in the case, a news channel reported.

“As the Opposition, it is our duty to seek the Governor’s intervention in the matter. We expect he will act to uphold the law and the Constitution by examining all aspects of the issue,” Chandy told reporters after meeting the Governor.

The cabinet had on Wednesday endorsed the legal opinion given by the Advocate General, stating there was no ground to grant permission to CBI to prosecute Vijayan in the case.

Canadian company SNC-Lavalin was given the contract to renovate three hydro power stations in 1997 when Vijayan was Power Minister. (ANI)

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Congress calls for shutdown in Kerala over Pinarayi clean chit(Lead:Pinarayi)

May 6, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kochi, May 6 (ANI): An angry Congress party on Wednesday called for a 12-hour shutdown across Kerala in response to the clean chit given to CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in connection with the SNC Lavalin graft case.

Kerala Advocate General C P Sudhakara Prasad said Vijayan need not to be prosecuted in the case relating to renovation and modernisation of three hydel projects in the state in late 1990s.

Vijayan, who had been under the scanner in the case, was State Electricity Minister when the SNC Lavalin scam broke out 12 years ago.

SNC Lavalin power scandal is one of the biggest financial scams to rock Kerala.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India report indicted a CPI(M)-led government of the mid-1990s for a Rs 374.50 crore loss to the exchequer.

Vijayan figured as the ninth accused in a charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Later, the CBI moved to seek the Government”s consent to prosecute him.

Claus Trendl, Senior Vice President of the Canadian firm SNC Lavalin, has been arraigned as the eleventh accused and A Francis, former Joint Secretary (Power) as the tenth accused. There are totally eleven accused in the case.

Among the other accused are: K Mohanachandran, Former Principal Secretary (Power) and former Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) Chairman, who is the first accused, G Rajashekharan Nair, former Member (Accounts) (second accused) and P A Sidharthan Menon, former KSEB Chairman.

Three hydel power stations had to be upgraded at Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniar. Tenders were invited and was finalised to an Indian consortium and a Canadian MNC.

The foreign company quoted Rs 2.42 crore per MW, the Indian consortium – BHEL and LandT – sought Rs 1.25 per MW. The contract went to the higher bidder, contrary to normal practice. (ANI)

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CPI-M’s Pinarayi Vijayan gets a clean chit in SNC Lavalin case

May 6, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kochi, May 6 (ANI): CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has been given a cheat in connection with the SNC Lavalin graft case.

Kerala Advocate General C P Sudhakara Prasad said Vijayan need not to be prosecuted in the case relating to renovation and modernisation of three hydel projects in the state in late 1990s.

Vijayan, who had been under the scanner in the case, was State Electricity Minister when the SNC Lavalin scam broke out 12 years ago.

SNC Lavalin power scandal is one of the biggest financial scams to rock Kerala.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India report indicted a CPI(M)-led government of the mid-1990s for a Rs 374.50 crore loss to the exchequer.

Vijayan figured as the ninth accused in a charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Later, the CBI moved to seek the Government’s consent to prosecute him.

Three hydel power stations had to be upgraded at Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniar. Tenders were invited and was finalised to an Indian consortium and a Canadian MNC.

The foreign company quoted Rs 2.42 crore per MW, the Indian consortium – BHEL and LandT – sought Rs 1.25 per MW. The contract went to the higher bidder, contrary to normal practice. (ANI)

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Apex court to hear graft case against Vijayan in May

April 22, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) The Supreme Court Monday decided it will hear in May a lawsuit that alleges delay in sanction by the Kerala government to prosecute former state power minister and Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in a corruption case.

The aex court had initially declined to hear the public interest lawsuit and dismissed it. But on MOnday, a bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice P. Sathasivam decided to hear it in May after counsel for K.B. Suresh, who brought the PIL, insisted it has merit.

Kerala-based scribe T.P. Nandkumar has approached the apex court against a Kerala High Court order of Feb 12, 2009, that dismissed his contention that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was delaying the trial of Pinarayi Vijayan and two state bureaucrats on the pretext that the government has not given permission to prosecute them.

The other two accused in the case, besides Vijayan, are former power secretary K. Mohana Chandran and former joint secretary (power) A Francis.

Nandkmar had contended before the high court that the CBI, which probed the graft case, did not need any government approval to prosecute them as they were not entitled to legal protection from trial for corrupt acts.

Vjayan faced a CBI probe for his alleged role in awarding a contract in 1997 for renovation and modernisation of two hydro-power plants in the state to Canadian firm SNC Lavalin without any competitive bidding.

The government’s official auditor later found that the award of the contract by the Kerala State Electricity Board to the Canadian firm at the behest of the minister had resulted in a loss of Rs.3.5 billion to the state exchequer.

The contract had allegedly been given to the Canadian firm ignoring a Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited report, which had said that the renovation of three power plants could have been achieved at a cost of less than Rs.1 billion.

Nandkumar had approached the high court alleging that the state government was not keen to prosecute Vijayan and two bureaucrats though a corruption case against them was lodged in February 2005.

He also contended that that there has been no progress in the investigation.

But the high court disposed of scribe’s plea after the state government said that the CBI has approached it for approval for trial of the former minister and the bureaucrats, and that it was examining the plea.
Indo Asian News Service

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