Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan (File)
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday was acquitted of all charges by the Kerala High Court in the SNC-Lavalin case. The High Court rejected the petition of the CBI and said that he cannot be held accountable for the loss to the exchequer. The Court also found no evidence against him. Senior Supreme Court lawyer Harish Salve appeared on Vijayan’s behalf.
Vijayan was accused of hatching a criminal conspiracy while he was serving as the electricity minister between May 1996 to October 1998. He along with others named in the case, were accused of awarding the contract for the renovation and modernisation of few hydroelectric projects to a Canada-based company SNC-Lavalin at exorbitant rates, thereby causing a loss of Rs 374.50 crores to the state.
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The contract was awarded for the renovation of the Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniar hydel power stations. Besides Vijayan, six others discharged in the case were senior executives of the Kerala State Electricity Board.
(More details awaited)
