CPM workers celebrate the CBI court ruling dismissing charges against party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan
The CBI court has dismissed charges against CPI(M) Kerala State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in the infamous SNC-Lavalin graft case. The decree stated that the charges against the accused are groundless and that the accused are entitled to get a discharge.
The decree states, "prosecution has failed to establish any fraudulent intention, abuse of official position and element of cheating attributed against accused."
With the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, this decree is being considered as a big political win for the LDF in Kerala as it clears the way for Pinarayi Vijayan's role in leading the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Kerala. "The issue is currently under discussion," said a source with CPI(M).
Opposition leader VS Achuthanandan has welcomed the decree, but earlier had questioned the role of Mr Vijayan in the graft case. Pinarayi Vijayan was the first politburo member to be prosecuted in the history of CPI(M).
The SNC-Lavalin graft case dates to a deal struck in 1996 when Pinarayi Vijayan as power minister gave a Canadian company a deal to modernise three hydroelectric projects at an exorbitant amount of Rs 374 crores, including funds for setting up a Malabar Cancer Centre. The CBI argued that the state couldn't ensure the finds for building the cancer centre due to the deal being a non-binding MOU.
However, the court observed that, "the issue of administrative lapse is not indictable under our penal statutes and for that reason it's not the domain of this court to ponder over and render a finding, especially when the prosecution has failed to make out the offences alleged against the accused."